Receptor specific atrial natriuretic peptides

ABSTRACT

Human receptor selective atrial natriuretic factor variants containing various substitutions, especially G16R, show equal potency and binding affinity for the human A-receptor but have decreased affinity for the human clearance or C-receptor. These ANF variants have natriuretic, diuretic and vasorelaxant activity but have increased metabolic stability, making them suitable for treating congestive heart failure, acute kidney failure and renal hypertension.

CROSS REFERENCES

This is a continuation application claiming priority to application Ser. No. 08/470,846, filed Jun. 6, 1995, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/419,877, filed Apr. 11, 1995 abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/362,552 filed Jan. 6, 1995 abandonded, which is a 35 USC §371 of PCT/US94/12591, filed Nov. 4, 1994, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/152,994, filed Nov. 12, 1993 abandoned, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to synthetic peptides having diuretic, natriuretic, and/or vasodilatory activity in mammals. The peptides of this invention are related to atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) but exhibit decreased binding affinity to the natriuretic peptide clearance receptor (NPR-C) and improved stability toward peptidases (“enkephalinase”) known to hydrolyze natriuretic peptides.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Maintenance of normal extracellular fluid volume depends primarily on the excretion of sodium (natriuresis) and water (diuresis) by the kidneys. These are, in turn, primarily determined by (1) the rate at which plasma is filtered at the glomerulus (glomerular filtration rate, or GFR) and (2) the degree to which sodium is actively reabsorbed along the renal tubule (with water presumably following passively). Sodium reabsorbtion is regulated, in part, by the adrenal steroid hormone aldosterone, in part by blood pressure, hematocrit and plasma viscosity and in part by various atrial natriuretic factors (ANF's) or hormones (deBold, A. J. et al., Life Sciences 28:89-94 [1981]; Garcia R., Experientia 38:1071-73 [1982]; Currie, M. S. et al. Science 221:71-73 [1983]; Flynn T. G. et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 117:859-865 [1983]; Currie, M. G. et al., Science 223:67-69 [1984]; and Kanagawa, K. et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 118:131-139 [1984]).

Atrial natriuretic factors are released as a result of sensors in the atrium responsible for detecting extracellular fluid volume. It is believed that an increase in extracellular fluid volume is detected by these sensors as the atrium stretches to accommodate the increased venous return volume. In response to this stimulus ANF is released into the blood stream where it is transported to the kidney. Binding of ANF to a specific natriuretic peptide receptor (hNPR-A) in the kidney causes inhibition of sodium reabsorbtion along the renal tubule decreasing the reabsorption of water and lowering the extracellular fluid volume.

ANF is also known to be a hypotensive hormone that antagonizes various hypertensive systems including; stimulation of vasodialation, inhibition of aldosterone secretion from the adrenal gland, renin secretion from the kidney, and the renin-angiotensin II system.

It is known that the serum half-life of ANF's and related peptides (see FIG. 1) that act as hypotensive regulators is relatively short (Crozier, I. G. et al., The Lancet II 1242-1245 [1986]) and that these peptides are removed from the blood stream by several mechanisms (FIG. 2). In addition to glomerular filtration two other distinct pathways have been identified which appear to significantly contribute to ANF clearance.

The first of these pathways involves receptor mediated ANF clearance. This pathway is reported to have sufficient capacity to account for about 70-80% of total ANF clearance from the blood stream (Maack, T., et al, Science 238:675-678 [1987], EPO Publication No. 233,143). The human natriuretic peptide receptor (hNPR-C) responsible for this clearance is present in many tissues, especially kidney (Luft, F. C. et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 236:416-418 [1986]), and promiscuously (Bovy, P. R., Med. Res. Rev. 10:1156 [1990]) binds various human natriuretic peptides including hANP, hBNP, and hCNP (FIG. 3). Various synthetic peptides, especially linear peptides (Olins, G. M., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 263:10989-10993 [1988]), capable of binding the hNPR-C have been described in the patent literature to enhance the natriuretic, diuretic and vasodilatation activity of endogenous ANF. Therapeutic use of these clearance receptor inhibitors presumably elevates the concentration and thus activity of all hormone peptides cleared by hNPR-C.

A second nonsaturatable clearance pathway also operates to remove serum ANF and is believed to involve the activity of a peptidase, neutral endopeptidase 24.11 (EC 3.4.24.11), also known as “enkephalinase” and referred to herein as NEP (Stevenson, S. L., et al., Biochem. 243L183-187 [1987]; Olins, G. M., et al., Biochim Biophys Acta 901:97-100 [1987]; Koehn, J. A. et al., J. Biol. Chem. 262:11623-11627 [1987]; Yandle, T., et al., Biochem Biophys Res. Commun. 146:832-839 [1987]). NEP is present in relatively high amounts in the kidney (Sonnenberg, J. L. et al., Peptides 9:173-180 [1988]) and is known to hydrolyze the Cys⁷-Phe⁸ amide bond of ANF's (Tamburine, P. P., et al., J. Pharm. Exp. Ther. 251:956-961 [1989]).

It has been observed that inhibitors of NEP, such as thiophan, potentiate the biological responses of administered ANP (Fennell, S. A., et al., FASEB J 2:A936 [1988]); Seymour A. A. et al., ibid; Trapani, A. J., et al., ibid; McMartin, C., et al., ibid; Simmerman, M. B. et al. ibid A937). However, administration of nonpeptidyl inhibitors of this pathway, like thiorphan, has the disadvantage that the cerebral NEP or endopeptidase 24.11 (“enkephalinase”) will also be inhibited because thiorphan is capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier (Bourgoin, S. et al., J. Pharm. Exp. Ther. 238:360-366 (1986). In addition to the use of thiorphan, a variety of other strategies for the inhibition of NEP have been described. These strategies include the use of a metal binding substituent appropriately spaced from the aromatic Phe⁸ moiety of ANF. Roques., E. P., et al., Nature 288:286-288 (1980); see also Gordon, E. M., et al., Life Sci 33 (Supplement 1): 113-116 (1983); Mumford, R. M., et al., Biochem Biophys. Res. Comm. 109:1303-1309 (1982); Fournie-Zaluski, M. C., et al., J. Med. Chem. 26:60-65 (1983); Waksman, G., et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 131:262-268 (1985); U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,764. Other strategies also include substitution of unnatural residues for Phe⁸ such as cyclohexylamine (Fed. Proc., 45:657 [1986]; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,106,834 and 4,861,755) or N-alkylated amino acids like N-Me-Phe (Nutt et al., EPA 0 465 097). Introduction of D amino acids such as D-Cys or D-Ala has been described (Nutt R. and Veber, D. F. Endocrin. Metab, Clin. N. Am., 16:19-41 [1988]; U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,443) and replacement of amide bonds is described generally be Lewicki et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,492 (see also U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,004).

Because of the obvious therapeutic potential of natriuretic peptides and variants thereof in the treatment of congestive heart failure, hypertension, acute kidney failure etc., numerous synthetic ANF's have been prepared that mimic the biological activity of wild-type ANF but are reported to have improved stability, potency, or duration of action when compared to wild-type ANF. Many of these synthetic ANF's are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,496,544; 4,496,544; 4,609,725; 4,673,732; 4,716,147; 4,757,048; 4,764,504; 4,804,650; 4,816,443; 4,861,755; 4,935,492; 4,952,561; 5,057,495; 5,057,603; 5,091,366; 5,095,004; 5,106,834; 5,159,061; 5,204,328; and 5,212,286. In addition, various foriegn documents describing ANF analogs include: WO85/04870; WO85/04872; WO88/03537; WO88/06596; WO89/10935; WO89/05654; WO90/01940; WO90/14362; WO92/06998; EPA 0 323 740; EPA 0 356 124; EPA 0 291 999; EPA 0 350 318; EPA 0 497 368; EPA 0 385 476; and EPA 0 341 603. None of these publications disclose a hANF variant having human receptor specificity (i.e. high affinity for hNPR-A and low affinity for hNPR-C), nor do they disclose the substitutions to hANF(1-28) residues 9, 11, or 16 necessary to achieve this selectivity. Only WO88/03537 discloses a positively charged residue, D-Arg, at position 16 in a truncated form of ANF.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide novel compounds having biological activity like hANF(1-28) but with enhanced metabolic stability. It is another object of this invention to provide novel peptides or peptidomimetic compounds having potent vasodilatory, natriuretic, and hypotensive activity. It is a further object to provide novel compounds having enhanced specificity for the hNPR-A in relation to other hNPR's, especially hNPR-B and hNPR-C. These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objectives of this invention have been met by providing novel compounds having potent vasodilatory, natriuretic, and/or hypotensive activity and having enhanced specificity for hNPR-A in relation to other hNPR's, especially hNPR-B and hNPR-C. The compounds of this invention generally have a decreased binding affinity for the human clearance receptor, HNPR-C, compared to the wild-type protein hANF(1-28). These compounds preferably also have an equal or higher affinity for the human A receptor, hNPR-A, compared to the wild-type protein hANF(1-28). These biological characteristics are normally achieved by providing one or more of the following substitutions in wild-type hANF(1-28) or mutants thereof; G9T, G9a, G9R, R11S, R11D, G16R, G16K, G16Orn and G16Har. Additionally these compounds have an increased half-life relative to wild-type hANF(1-28) when incubated with neutral endopeptidase 11.24 (NEP). The increased half-life is preferably achieved by; adding the urodilatin amino terminus tetrapeptide sequence, adding a (Ser)₄ sequence to the amino terminus, modifying the Cys⁷-Phe⁸ amide bond with an amide isostere, N-alkylating Cys⁷, Phe⁸, Ala¹⁷, Ile¹⁵ or Phe²⁶, or inserting a D-amino acid between Cys⁷ and Phe⁸. A preferred compound having hNPR-A selectivity is represented by Formula (I)

where

X is selected from

H, C₁-C₆alkanoyl, Ser-Pro-Lys-, (Ser)₄- and Thr-Ala-Pro-Arg- (SEQ ID NO: 1);

AA₁ is absent or is selected from

Ser, Met, Gly, Asp, Ala, Tyr and His;

AA₂ is absent or is selected from

Leu, Asp, Met, Val, Ser, Ala, Phe, Pro and Lys;

AA₃ is absent or is selected from

Cys, Glu, Ser, Gln, His, Gly, Arg and Asp;

AA₄ is absent or is selected from

Arg, Gly, Ala, Asp, Met, Leu, Tyr and Pro;

AA₅ is absent or is selected from

Ser, Cys and Asp;

AA₆ is absent or is selected from

Ser, Gly and Glu;

AA₇ is selected from

Cys, N-methyl-Cys, D-Cys and Pen;

AA₈ is selected from

Phe, N-methyl-Phe, Trimethylphenyl-Ala, halo(F, Cl, Br and I)phenyl-Ala, Trifluoromethylphenyl-Ala, Tyr, O-methyl-Tyr, Cha, β-napthyl-Ala, α-napthyl-Ala, biphenyl-Ala, diphenyl-Ala, D-Ala, dibenzyl-Ala, florenyl-Ala, adamantyl-Ala, and β-napthyloxy-Ala;

AA₉ is selected from

Gly, Arg, Thr, Val, Asp, Ala, D-Ala, Pro and Glu;

AA₁₀ is selected from

Gly, Arg, Ser, Ala, His, Pro and Lys;

AA₁₁ is selected from

Arg, Lys, N-methyl-Arg, Asp, Ser and Pro;

AA₁₂ is selected from

Met, Ile, D-Leu, Nle and Leu;

AA₁₃ is selected from

Asp and Glu;

AA₁₄ is selected from

Arg, N-methyl-Arg, Pro and Ser;

AA₁₅ is selected from

Ile, N-methyl-Ile and Leu;

AA₁₆ is selected from

Gly, Tyr, Phe, Ser, Tyr, Pro and a positively charged amino acid residue is selected from

Orn, Har, Lys, p-amidinophenyl-Ala and Arg;

AA₁₇ is selected from

Ala, Ser, N-methyl-Ala, Glu and Pro;

AA₁₈ is selected from

Gln, Ser, Ala and homo-Cys;

AA₁₉ is selected from

Ser;

AA₂₀ is selected from

Gly and Ala;

AA₂₁ is selected from

Leu;

AA₂₂ is selected from

Gly and Ala;

AA₂₃ is selected from

Cys;

AA₂₄ is selected from

Asn;

AA₂₅ is selected from

Ser and Val;

AA₂₆ is selected from

Phe, D Phe, N-methyl-Phe and Leu;

AA₂₇ is selected from

Arg, Orn, Har, Lys, p-amidinophenyl-Ala and Arg-Arg;

AA₂₈ is selected from

Tyr and homoCys; and

Z is selected from

OH and NR¹R² where R¹ and R² are independently selected from

H, C₁-C₆alkyl, C₆-C₁₂aryl and C₆-C₁₂aryl-C₁-C₆alkyl;

and where

the amide bond (—C(═O)—NH—) bonding residues AA₇ and AA₈ may optionally be replaced with an amide isostere selected from the group

—CH₂—NH—,

—CH₂—S—,

—CH₂—S(O)_(n)—, where n is 1 or 2,

—CH₂—CH₂—,

—CH═CH— (E or Z),

—C(═O)—CH₂—,

—CH(CN)—NH—,

—C(OH)—CH₂—, and

—O—C(═O)—NH—

provided that one of AA₉, AA₁₁, and AA₁₆ is selected according to the following scheme

AA₉ is Arg, Thr or Glu;

AA₁₁ is Asp, Ser or Pro; and

AA₁₆ is a positively charged amino acid residue selected from

Arg, homoArg (Har), Lys, Orn, and p-amidinophenyl-Ala; and

pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

Preferably AA₁₆ in the compound of Formula I is a positively charged amino acid residue selected from; Orn, Har, Lys, p-amidinophenyl-Ala or Arg, and most preferably Arg. Also preferably and independently, AA₉ is selected from Arg, Thr, or Glu, and AA₁₁ is selected from Asp, Ser, or Pro. Optionally, AA₃ is Asp, X is Thr-Ala-Pro-Arg- (SEQ ID NO: 1) and/or the compound may contain a second disulfide (or equivalent) bond.

Optionally, compounds of Formula I may have a D-amino acid residue inserted between AA₇ and AA₈.

Most preferred hANF variants of this invention include:

hANF(1-28) G9T, R11S, M12I;

hANF(1-28) G9R, R11D, M12I, G16R;

hANF(1-28) G9T, R11S;

hANF(1-28) G9E, G10R, R11P;

hANF(1-28) G10K, R11S;

hANF(1-28) M12I, G16R;

hANF(1-28) G9T, R11S, G16R, Q18P;

hANF(TAPR 1-28) M12I, G16R;

hANF(1-28) M12I, R14S, G16R;

hANF(1-28) G9E, G10R, R11P, M12I, G16R;

hANF(1-28) R3D, G9T, R11S, M12L, R14S, G16R;

hANF(1-28) G9T, R11S, M12I, G16R, inserting D-Ser between residues 7 and 8;

hANF(1-28) G9T, R11S, M12I, G16R, inserting D-Ala between residues 7 and 8;

hANF(TAPR1-28) G13T, R15S, M16I, G20R;

hANF(1-28) F8Cha(1-cyclohexylalanine), G9T, R11S, M12I, G16R;

Mpa(mercaptopropionic acid), F, D-Thr, hANF(10-28), G9T, R11S, M12I, G16R;

Mpa (mercaptopropionic acid), F, D-Ala, hANF(10-28), G9T, R11S, M12I, G16R;

hANF(1-28) C7(N-MeCys), G9T, R11S, M12I, G16R;

hANF(1-28) F8(N-MePhe), G9T, R11S, M12I, G16R;

hANF(1-28) C7F8 replaced by C(ψCH₂NH)F*, G9T, R11S, M12I, G16R;

hANF(1-28) G9(d-Ala), R11D, M12I, G16R;

hANF(1-28) F8Phg(l or d phenyl glycine), G9T, R11S, M12I, G16R;

hANF(1-28) R3D, G9T, R11S, M12L, R14S, G16R, Q18C*, Y28C*;

hANF(1-28) M12I, G16R, A17E, Q18A;

hANF(1-28), C7F8 replaced by C(ψCH₂NH)F, G9T, R11S, M12I, G16R, F26(N-Me-Phe); and

hANF(Ac-1-28), C7F8 replaced by C(ψCH₂NH)F, G9T, R11S, M12I, G16R.

The invention further comprises a pharmaceutical composition including a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and any of the compounds described above. This composition is used in a method for inducing naturesis, diuresis, vasodilation or to modulate the renin-angiotensin II and aldosterone systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1. Sequence of Wild-Type Human Natriuretic Peptides. Dark circles are conserved residues found in all three human hormones (ANP [SEQ ID NO: 2], BNP [SEQ ID NO: 3] and CNP [SEQ ID NO: 4]). Shaded circles are additional amino-terminus residues found in a kidney-specific human ANF variant named “Urodilatin”. Unshaded circles are residues not conserved among the human natriuretic hormones.

FIG. 2. The four fates of ANF(or ANP) primairly responsible for its short serum half-life (t_(½)).

FIG. 3. Hormone Specificity for Known Natriuretic Peptide Receptors. Solid arrow indicates a strong binding affinity. Dashed arrow indicates a weak binding affinity. The A-receptor (NPR-A) is found predominantly in the adrenal cortex and kidney, the B-receptor (NPR-B) is found predominantly in the atrium of the heart and the central nervous system, while the C-receptor is found primarily in endothelial tissue of the kidney. All three receptors have homologous extracellular domains containing about 440 residues. The C-receptor contains only a small vestigal 37 amino acid intracellular domain of unknown function, while the A- and B- receptors both have guanyl cyclase and tyrosine kinase domains. It is believed the A-receptor is responsible for most of the hormone's hypotensive effects and the C-receptor mediates its rapid clearence.

FIGS. 4A and 4B. Resistance to inactivation of ANF variants by cells expressing hNPR-C. In FIG. 4A, “ANP” is Wild-type hANF(1-28) while in FIG. 4B, the “mutant” is hANF(1-28) R3D, G9T, R11S, M12L, R14S, G16R.

FIG. 5. Binding specificity of mutant hANF(1-28) R3D, G9T, R11S, M12L, R14S, G16R.

FIG. 6. Degradation of ANF variants (0.5 mg/ml) by endopeptidase 11.24 (NEP) (0.225 mg/ml). Peptides having the following sequences were assayed as provided in Example 22:

Peptide/ Half- (SEQ ID Life NO) Sequence (min.) ANF TAPRSLRRSSCFGGRIDRIRAQSGLGCNSFRY 737 23/(5) ANF SLRRSSCFGGRIDRIRAQSGLGCNSFRY 600 24/(6) ANF SSCvFGGRIDRICFR 597 40/(7) ANF SLRRSSCFTGSMDRIGAQSGLGCNSFRY 93 50/(8) ANF 15 SLRRSSCFGGRIDRIGAQSGLGCNSFRY 165 (ratANP)/ (9) urodilatin/ TAPRSLRRSSCFGGRMDRIGAQSGLGCNSFRY 1862 (2)

FIG. 7. Degradation of ANF variants (32 nM/ml) by endopeptidase 11.24 (NEP) (0.45 μg/ml). Peptides having the following sequences were assayed as provided in Example 22:

Half- Life Peptide/(SEQ ID NO) Sequence (min.) ANF 25/(10) SLRRSSCFGGRIDSIRAQSGLGCNSFRY 199 ANF 27/(11) SLRRSSCFTGSIDRIRAQSGLGCNSFRY 334 ANF 28/(12) SLRRSSCFRGDIDRIRAQSGLGCNSFRY 571 ANF 31/(13) SLRRSSCFTGSIDRIRAPSGLGCNSFRY 178 ANF 60/(14) SLRRSSCFGKSMDRIGAQSGLGCNSFRY 304 ANF 76/(15) TAPRSLRRSSCFTGSIDRIRAQSGLGCNSFRY 1409 ANF 79/(16) SLRRSSC(Cha)TGSIDRIRAQSGLGCNSFRY 477 ANF 82/(17) SLRRSS(NMe—C)FTGSIDRIRAQSGLGCNSFRY 365 ANF 83/(18) SLRRSSCN(NMe—F)TGSIDRIRAQSGLGCNSFRY 932 ANF 84/(19) SLRRSS[CF]*TGSIDRIRAQSGLGCNSFRY 2396 ANF 92/(20) Mpr-FaGDIDRIRAQSGLGCNSFRY 106 h-ANP/(21) SLRRSSCFGGRMDRIGAQSGLGCNSFRY 136 h-BNP/(22) SPKMVQGSGCFGRKMDRISSSSGLGCKVLRRH 31726 urodilatin/(2) TAPRSLRRSSCFGGRMDRIGAQSGLGCNSFRY 1627 *Cys—Phe reduced amide bond

FIG. 8. Degradation of ANF 51 (32 nM/ml) by endopeptidase 11.24 (NEP) (0.075 and 0.15 μg/ml). Half-life=1927 min.@0.075 μg/ml NEP and 269@0.15 μg/ml NEP.

FIG. 9. Amino acid sequences of rat ANP (SEQ ID NO: 23) and natriuretic peptide variants ANF 99 (SEQ ID NO: 24), ANF 27 (SEQ ID NO: 11), ANF 76 (SEQ ID NO: 15) and ANF 84 (SEQ ID NO: 19). The reduced peptide bond between C7 and F8 is indicated by a box around these two residues. Amino acids identical to rat ANP are indicated by a dash and substitutions are shown in single letter amino acid code.

FIG. 10. Concentration responses for cGMP second messenger production on human natriuretic peptide receptor-A expressed in 293 cells. Values for the concentration of natriuretic peptide giving half-maximal stimulation of cGMP production are given in the figure. Values are plotted as average±standard deviation (n=3). The results show that ANF 27, ANF 76, and ANF 84 are full agonists on this receptor, with potency very similar to rat ANP.

FIG. 11. Competition binding of natriuretic peptides in rhesus monkey kidney membranes. Competition for ¹²⁵I-rat ANP binding was with rat ANP, ANF 27, or cANF (Maack et al., 1987). Values for half-maximal inhibition of binding based on curve fitting of competition binding data are given in the figure. According to the model of natriuretic peptide receptor specificity (Koller et al., 1991) rat ANP binds to both natriuretic peptide receptor-A (NPR-A) and receptor-C (NPR-C). This is shown in the panel on the right by the arrow indicating the degree of displacement of ¹²⁵I-rat ANP binding under A+C for rat ANP. For the NPR-C specific natriuretic peptide analog cANF (Maack et al., 1987) only a portion of the total binding is inhibited, as indicated by the shorter arrow under C. The remaining binding will then be due to NPR-A binding of ¹²⁵I-rat ANP, as indicated by the solid bar labeled A, below the C arrow. Conversely, for the NPR-A specific analog ANF 27, a smaller portion of the total binding is displaced, an amount approximating the residual binding observed with cANF.

FIG. 12. Competition binding of natriuretic peptides in rhesus monkey lung membranes. See the description for FIG. 11. In the lung there is relatively more NPR-A than NPR-C based on the extent of competition for ¹²⁵I-rat ANP binding with the receptor selective ligands CANF and ANF 27.

FIG. 13. Concentration response for stimulation of cGMP production in membrane preparation from rhesus monkey lung. Values for half-maximal stimulation are given in the figure. The NPR-A specific analogs ANF 76 and ANF 84 are more potent than rat ANP in this tissue preparation.

FIG. 14. Urinary parameters for a rhesus monkey that received a complete 60-minute infusions of vehicle and ANF 84 at 7.5 ng/kg/min. Treatment was discontinued 33 minutes into the 25 ng/kg/min infusion as a consequence of increased urine flow and hypotension (FIGS. 14 and 15). Urine flow, potassium excretion and sodium excretion began to rise in parallel at the beginning of the 7.5 ng/kg/min infusion, but returned to baseline by 60 minutes at the end of the infusion. Urine flow and sodium excretion showed a marked response to infusion of the test material at the 25 ng/kg/min infusion rate. Both parameters continued to rise (approximately 10 and 100-fold above baseline for urine flow and Na, respectively) until the infusion was halted. Potassium excretion remained at slightly-elevated levels for the duration of the 25 ng/kg/min infusion.

FIG. 15. Cardiovascular parameters for the rhesus monkey described in FIG. 14 that received a complete 60-minute infusions of vehicle and ANF 84 at 7.5 ng/kg/min. Systolic arterial pressure began to gradually decline with the initiation of the 7.5 ng/kg/min infusion, and continued to decline until a nadir was reached shortly after the 25 ng/kg/min. infusion was halted. Pressure began to recover shortly thereafter.

FIG. 16. One rhesus monkey received complete 60 minute infusions of vehicle and urodilatin at the 7.5 and 25 ng/kg/min. rates. Dosing was discontinued 10 min. into the 75 ng/kg/min. infusion due to developing hypotension (FIG. 17). Urine flow was very low during the initial infusions and increased moderately during the 25 and 75 ng/kg/min. infusions. Urinary potassium excretion increased slightly during the 7.5 ng/kg/min. infusion and remained at that level during the 25 ng/kg/min. infusion. Urinary sodium excretion increased substantially during the 25 ng/kg/min. infusion.

FIG. 17. Cardiovascular parameters for the rhesus monkey described in FIG. 16 that received vehical and urodilatin. Systolic arterial pressure declined steadily throughout the experiment. When systolic arterial pressure reached a nadir 15 minutes into the 75 ng/kg/min. infusion, 35 ml of lactated Ringer's solution was administered intravenously to prevent a further pressure decline. Pressure recovered slightly thereafter.

FIG. 18. Competitive binding to membranes from cells expressing human NPR-A. Values for half-maximal inhibition of ¹²⁵I-rat ANP binding by rat ANP, ANF 27 and ANF 99 are given in the figure.

FIG. 19. Competitive binding to membranes from cells expressing human NPR-C. The reduced affinity of ANF 99 for NPR-C is evident in comparison to rat ANP, whereas ANF 27 does not effectively bind to NPR-C.

FIG. 20. Stimulation of CGMP production on cells stably expressing human NPR-A. Rat ANP and ANF 99 are equipotent and efficacious in stimulating CGMP production.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A. Definitions

Terms used in the claims and specification are defined as set forth below unless otherwise specified.

The terms “hANF”, “hANF(1-28)”, α-hANP and “wild-type hANF” are used interchangeably herein and mean the 28 amino acid residue peptide reported by Kangawa et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 118(1):131-139 (1984) having the following structure (SEQ ID NO: 21)

The integers above and below specific residues of this structure define the residue position number. This residue position number is used in conjunction with the one letter amino acid nomenclature, described below, to designate the residue at which a substitution is made in the hANF mutants of this invention. Thus for example, when a mutant hANF is synthesized in which arginine (R) replaces glycine (G) at residue position number 16 of wild-type hANF, the nomenclature “hANF G16R” or “hANF(1-28) G16R” is used. Multiple substitutions are designated in the same manner with a comma separating each substitution as exemplified below.

The term “hANF(1-28) G9T, R11S, G16R” designates a triple mutant hANF having that hANF sequence defined above with the substitution of threonine for glycine at residue position 9 (i.e. G9T), the substitution of serine for arginine at residue position 11 (i.e. R11S), and the substitution of arginine for glycine at position 16 (i.e. G16R). Other mutants are defined in an analogus manner.

The term “hANF(TAPR 1-28) M12I, G16R” designates a double mutant having the tetrapeptide TAPR bonded to the amino group of Ser, residue 1, of HANF.

The term “C₁-C₆alkyl” means a branched, unbranched or cyclic, saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical, having the number of carbon atoms specified. Representative examples of these alkyl radicals include methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, n-pentyl, 2-methylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylpropyl, n-hexyl, 2-methylpentyl, 2,2-dimethylbutyl, cycolhexyl and the like. The terms “lower alkyl” and “C₁-C₆alkyl” are synonymous and used interchangeably. A preferred “C₁-C₆alkyl” group is methyl.

The term “C₁-C₆alkanoyl” encompasses groups such as formyl, acetyl, propionyl, butyryl, isobutrryl, valeryl, isovaleryl, pivaloyl, caproyl, and the like.

The term “C₆-C₁₂aryl” means a homocyclic hydrocarbon aromatic radical, whether or not fused, having the number of carbon atoms designated. Preferred aryl groups include phenyl, napthyl, biphenyl, phenanthrenyl, naphthacenyl, and the like (see e.g. Lang's Handbook of Chemistry (Dean, J. A., ed) 13^(th) ed. Table 7-2 [1985]).

The term “C₆-C₁₂aryl-C₁-C₆alkyl” means one, two, or three aryl groups having the number of carbon atoms designated, appended to an alkyl radical having the number of carbon atoms designated including but not limited to; benzyl, napthylmethyl, phenethyl, benzyhydryl (diphenylmethyl), florenyl, trityl, and the like. A preferred arylalkyl group is the benzyl group.

Amino acids and amino acid residues described herein may be referred to according to the accepted one or three letter code provided in the table below. Unless otherwise specified these amino acids or residues are of the naturally occurring L stereoisomer form.

One-Letter Three-Letter Common Name Symbol Symbol Alanine A Ala Arginine R Arg Asparagine N Asn Aspartic acid D Asp Cysteine C Cys Glutamine Q Gln Glutamic acid E Glu Glycine G Gly Histidine H His Isoleucine I Ile Leucine L Leu Lysine K Lys Methionine M Met Phenylalanine F Phe Proline P Pro Serine S Ser Threonine T Thr Tryptophan W Trp Tyrosine Y Tyr Valine V Val Norleucine Nle Cyclohexylalanine Cha Homoarginine A* Har Ornithine Orn Penicillamine Pen Phenyl glycine Phg Mercaptopropionic acid Mpa D Alanine a ala Homocysteine C*

In general, unless otherwise specified, the abbreviations used for the designation of amino acids and the protective groups used therefor are based on recommendations of the IUPAC-IUB Commission of Biochemical Nomenclature (Biochemistry, 11:1726-1732 (1972).

The nomenclature used to define compounds of Formula I is that specified by the IUPAC, published in European Journal of Biochemistry, 138:9-37 (1984).

“Pharmaceutically acceptable salts” include both acid and base addition salts.

“Pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt” refers to those salts which retain the biological effectiveness and properties of the free bases and which are not biologically or otherwise undesirable, formed with inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid and the like, and organic acids such as acetic acid, propionic acid, glycolic acid, pyruvic acid, oxalic acid, maleic acid, maloneic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, mandelic acid, methanesulfonic acid, ethanesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, salicyclic acid and the like.

“Pharmaceutically acceptable base addition salts” include those derived from inorganic bases such as sodium, potassium, lithium, ammonium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, aluminum salts and the like. Particularly preferred are the ammonium, potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium salts. Salts derived from pharmaceutically acceptable organic nontoxic bases includes salts of primary, secondary, and tertiary amines, substituted amines including naturally occurring substituted amines, cyclic amines and basic ion exchange resins, such as isopropylamine, trimethylamine, diethylamine, triethylamine, tripropylamine, ethanolamine, 2-diethylaminoethanol, trimethamine, dicyclohexylamine, lysine, arginine, histidine, caffeine, procaine, hydrabamine, choline, betaine, ethylenediamine, glucosamine, methylglucamine, theobromine, purines, piperizine, piperidine, N-ethylpiperidine, polyamine resins and the like. Particularly preferred organic non-toxic bases are isopropylamine, diethylamine, ethanolamine, trimethamine, dicyclohexylamine, choline, and caffeine.

B. Methods of Making

1. Chemical Synthesis

a. General Procedures

One method of producing ANF variants involves chemical synthesis of the polypeptide, followed by treatment under oxidizing conditions appropriate to obtain the native conformation, that is, the correct disulfide bond linkages. This can be accomplished using methodologies well known to those skilled in the art (see Kelley, R. F. & Winkler, M. E. in Genetic Engineering Principles and Methods, Setlow, J. K., ed., Plenum Press, N.Y., vol. 12, pp 1-19 [1990]; Stewart, J. M. & Young, J. D. Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis Pierce Chemical Co. Rockford, Ill.[1984]; see also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,105,603; 3,972,859; 3,842,067; and 3,862,925).

Polypeptides of the invention may be conveniently prepared using solid phase peptide synthesis (Merrifield, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 85:2149 [1964]; Houghten, Proc. Natl. Acal. Sci. USA 82:5132 [1985]). Solid phase synthesis begins at the carboxy-terminus of the putative peptide by coupling a protected amino acid to a suitable resin (e.g. chloromethylated polystyrene resin) as shown in FIGS. 1-1 and 1-2, on pages 2 and 4 of Stewart and Young supra. After removal of the α-amino protecting group with, for example, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in methylene chloride and neutralizing in, for example TEA, the next α-amino- and sidechain protected amino acid in the synthesis is added. The remaining α-amino- and, if necessary, side-chain-protected amino acids are then coupled sequentially in the desired order by condensation to obtain an intermediate compound connected to the resin. Alternatively, some amino acids may be coupled to one another forming a peptide prior to addition of the peptide to the growing solid phase polypeptide chain.

The condensation between two amino acids, or an amino acid and a peptide, or a peptide and a peptide can be carried out according to the usual condensation methods such as the azide method, mixed acid anhydride method, DCC (N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide) or DIC (N,N′-diisopropylcarbodiimide)methods, active ester method (p-nitrophenyl ester method, BOP [benzotriazole-1-yl-oxy-tris (dimethylamino) phosphonium hexafluorophosphate] method, N-hydroxysuccinic acid imido ester method, etc, and Woodward reagent K method.

Common to chemical syntheses of peptides is the protection of any reactive side-chain groups of the amino acids with suitable protecting groups. Ultimately these protecting groups are removed after the desired polypeptide chain has been sequentially assembled. Also common is the protection of the α-amino group on an amino acid or a fragment while that entity reacts at the carboxyl group followed by the selective removal of the α-amino-protecting group to allow subsequent reaction to take place at that location. Accordingly, it is common in polypeptide synthesis that an intermediate compound is produced which contains each of the amino acid residues located in the desired sequence in the peptide chain with various of these residues having side-chain protecting groups attached. These protecting groups are then commonly removed substantially at the same time so as to produce the desired resultant product following removal from the resin.

Suitable protective groups for protecting the α- and ε-amino side chain groups are exemplified by benzyloxycarbonyl (abbreviated Z), isonicotinyloxycarbonyl (iNOC), O-chlorobenzyloxycarbonyl [Z(2Cl], p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl [Z(NO₂], p-methoxybenzyloxycarbonyl [Z(OMe)], t-butoxycarbonyl, (Boc), t-amyloxycarbonyl (Aoc), isoborrnyloxycarbonyl, adamatyloxycarbonyl, 2-(4-biphenyl)-2-propyloxycarbonyl (Bpoc), 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc), methylsulfonyiethoxycarbonyl (Msc), trifluoroacetyl, phthalyl, formyl, 2-nitrophenylsulphenyl (NPS), diphenylphosphinothioyl (Ppt), dimethylophosphinothioyl (Mpt) and the like.

Protective groups for the carboxy functional group are exemplified by; benzyl ester (OBzl), cyclohexyl ester (Chx), 4-nitrobenzyl ester (ONb), t-butyl ester (Obut), 4-pyridylmethyl ester (OPic), and the like. It is often desirable that specific amino acids such as arginine, cysteine, and serine possessing a functional group other than amino and carboxyl groups are protected by a suitable protective group. For example, the guanidino group of arginine may be protected with nitro, p-toluenesulfonyl, benzyloxycarbonyl, adamantyloxycarbonyl, p-methoxybenzenesulfonyl, 4-methoxy-2, 6-dimethylbenzenesulfonyl (Mds), 1,3,5-trimethylphenysulfonyl (Mts), and the like. The thiol group of cysteine may be protected with p-methoxybenzyl, triphenylmethyl, acetylaminomethyl ethylcarbamoyle, 4-methylbenzyl, 2,4,6trimethy-benzyl (Tmb) etc, and the hydroxyl group of serine can be protected with benzyl, t-butyl, acetyl, tetrahydropyranyl and the like.

Stewart and Young supra provides detailed information regarding procedures for preparing peptides. Protection of α-amino groups is described on pages 14-18, and side-chain blockage is described on pages 18-28. A table of protecting groups for amine, hydroxyl and sulfhydryl functions is provided on pages 149-151.

After the desired amino acid sequence has been completed, the intermediate peptide is removed from the resin support by treatment with a reagent, such as liquid HF and one or more thio-containing scavengers, which not only cleaves the peptide from the resin, but also cleaves all the remaining side-chain protecting groups. Following HF cleavage, the protein sequence is washed with ether, transferred to a large volume of dilute acetic acid, and stirred at pH adjusted to about 8.0 with ammonium hydroxide.

Preferably in order to avoid alkylation of residues in the polypeptide, (for example, alkylation of methionine, cysteine, and tyrosine residues) a thio-cresol and cresol scavenger mixture is used. The resin is washed with ether, and immediately transferred to a large volume of dilute acetic acid to solubilize and minimize intermolecular cross-linking. A 250 μM polypeptide concentration is diluted in about 2 liters of 0.1 M acetic acid solution. The solution is then stirred and its pH adjusted to about 8.0 using ammonium hydroxide. Upon pH adjustment, the polypeptide takes its desired conformational arrangement.

b. Non-peptide (Anide Isostere) Linkages

In one embodiment of the invention, the amide linkages (—C(═O)—NH—) are replaced with amide isostere linkages such as; —CH₂—NH—, —CH₂—S, —CH₂—O—, —CH₂—CH₂—, —CH═CH— (cis and trans), —C(═O)—CH₂—, —CH(OH)—CH₂—, —CH(CN)—NH—, —O—C(═O)—NH— and —CH₂—SO—, by methods known in the art. The following references describe preparation of peptide analogs which include these alternative-linking moieties: Spatola, A. F., Vega Data 1(3): “Peptide Backbone Modifications” (General Review) (March 1983), Spatola, A. F., in “Chemistry and biochemistry of Amino Acids Peptides and Proteins”, B. Weinstein, ed., Marcel Dekker, New York, P. 267 (1983); Morley, J. S., Trends Pharm. Sci. pp. 463-468; Hudson, D. et al. Int. J. Pept. Prot. Res. 14:177-185 (1979) (—CH₂NH—, —CH₂CH₂—); Tourwe, D., et al., Structural Biology 331-333 (1989) (E, —CH═CH—); Spatola, A. F., et al., Life Sci. 38:1243-1249 (1986) (—CH₂—S—); Hann, M. M., J. Chem. Soc. Perkin. Trans. I 307-314 (1982) (—CH═CH—, cis and trans); Almquist, R. G., et al., J. Med. Chem. 23:1392-1398 (1980) (—C(═O)—CH₂—); Jennings-White C., et al., Tetrahedron Lett 23:(1982) (—C(═O)—CH₂—); Szelke, M., et al., EP Application No. 45665 (1982) Chem Abs:9739405 (1982) (—CH(OH)—CH₂); Holladay, M. W., et al., Tetrahedron Lett 24:4401-4404 (1983) (—C(OH)—CH₂—); Hruby, V. J. Life Sci 31:189-199 (1982) (—CH₂S—); and Cho, C. Y. et al, Science 261:1303-1305 (1993) (—O—C(═O)—NH—).

2. Recombinant Synthesis

In a further embodiment, the present invention encompasses a composition of matter comprising isolated nucleic acid, preferably DNA, encoding the protein component of a composition of matter comprising a polypeptide selected from ANF variants that contain the amino acid substitutions described in Table I. The invention further comprises an expression control sequence operably linked to the DNA molecule, an expression vector, preferably a plasmid, comprising the DNA molecule, where the control sequence is recognized by a host cell transformed with the vector.

Preferred expression vectors of the present invention may be selected from; pBR322, phGH1, pBO475, pB1537, pRIT5, pRIT2T, pKK233-2, pDR540, pPL-lambda and pB1537, with the most preferred vector being pB1537.

Preferred host cells containing the expression vector of the present invention may be selected from E. coli K12 strain 294 (ATCC No. 31446), E. coli strain JM101, E. coli B, E. coli X1776 (ATCC No. 31537), E. coli c600, E. coli W3110 (F-, gamma-, prototrophic, ATCC No. 27325), Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhimurium, Serratia marcesans, and Pseudomonas species, with the most preferred host cell being E. coli W3110 (ATCC No. 27325), or a derivative thereof such as the protease deficient strain 34B8.

The composition of the present invention may be made by a process which includes the steps of isolating or synthesizing (by art standard techniques) nucleic acid sequences encoding any of the amino acid sequences described herein, ligating the nucleic acid sequence into a suitable expression vector capable of expressing the nucleic acid sequence in a suitable host, transforming the host with the expression vector into which the nucleic acid sequence has been ligated, culturing the host under conditions suitable for expression of the nucleic acid sequence, whereby the protein encoded by the selected nucleic acid sequence is expressed by the host. In this process, the ligating step may further contemplate ligating the nucleic acid into a suitable expression vector such that the nucleic acid is operably linked to a suitable secretory signal, whereby the amino acid sequence is secreted by the host. The secretory signal may be selected from the group consisting of the leader sequence of stII, ecotin, lamB, herpes gD, lpp, alkaline phosphatase, invertase, and alpha factor and is preferably stII.

a. Gene Synthesis, Cloning, and Expression

1. General Procedures

From the purified protein and its amino acid sequence, ANF or ANF variants may be produced using recombinant DNA techniques. These techniques contemplate, in simplified form, taking a gene encoding either ANF or ANF variants; inserting it into an appropriate vector; inserting the vector into an appropriate host cell; culturing the host cell to cause expression of the ANF or ANF variants gene; and purifying the protein produced thereby.

Somewhat more particularly, the DNA sequence encoding either ANF or ANF variants is cloned and manipulated so that it may be expressed in a convenient host. DNA encoding parent polypeptides can be obtained from a genomic library, from cDNA derived from mRNA from cells expressing ANP or ANP homologs, or by synthetically constructing the DNA sequence (Sambrook, J. et al, Molecular Cloning (2nd ed.), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, N.Y. [1989]).

The parent DNA is then inserted into an appropriate plasmid or vector which is used to transform a host cell. In general, plasmid vectors containing replication and control sequences which are derived from species compatible with the host cell are used in connection with those hosts. The vector ordinarily carries a replication site, as well as sequences which encode proteins that are capable of providing phenotypic selection in transformed cells.

For example, E. coli may be transformed using pBR322, a plasmid derived from an E. coli species (Mandel, M. et al., J. Mol. Biol. 53:154 [1970]). Plasmid pBR322 contains genes for ampicillin and tetracycline resistance, and thus provides easy means for selection. Other vectors include different features such as different promoters, which are often important in expression. For example, plasmids pKK223-3, pDR720, and pPL-lambda represent expression vectors with the tac, trp, or P_(L) promoters that are currently available (Pharmacia Biotechnology).

2. Direct expression of ANF or ANF variants

A preferred vector for direct expression is pB1537. This vector was created as described in Example 23-25 and contains origins of replication for E. coli, the alkaline phosphatase promoter, the stII signal sequence, the ANP gene, and the ampicillin resistance gene. Other preferred vectors are pR1T5 and pR1T2T (Pharmacia Biotechnology). These vectors contain appropriate promoters followed by the Z domain of protein A, allowing genes inserted into the vectors to be expressed as fusion proteins. Further discussion of these vectors may be found below.

Other preferred vectors can be constructed using standard techniques by combining the relevant traits of the vectors described herein as illustrated in Example 23-25. In this instance a vector containing the origins of replication for phage and E. coli, which allow it to be shuttled between such hosts, was used thereby facilitating both mutagenesis and expression (Cunningham, B., et al., Science 243:1330-1336 [1989]; Wells, J. & Cunningham, B., WO 90/04788 published May 3, 1990). Relevant traits of the vector include the promoter, the ribosome binding site, the ANF or ANF variant gene or gene fusion (the Z domain of protein A and ANF or ANF variant and its linker), the signal sequence, the antibiotic resistance markers, the copy number, and the appropriate origins of replication.

ANF or ANF variants have been expressed in E coli strain 34B8 using a plasmid with the alkaline phosphatase promoter and the stII signal sequence. This resulted in an expression system in which about 12 mg/L of an ANP variant containing the mutations R3D/G9T/R11S/M12L/R14S/G16R and about 3 mg/L of an ANF variant containing just the R3D mutation were secreted into the broth of 10 liter fermentions. Shake flask experiments showed these mutants expressed dramatically higher than wild-type ANF (about 3200 and 800 times greater, respectively). However, by expressing wild-type ANF in a different strain, E coli 23G3, its expression could be increased about 15 fold.

The host cell may be prokaryotic or eukaryotic. Prokaryotes are preferred for cloning and expressing DNA sequences to produce parent polypeptides, segment substituted polypeptides, residue-substituted polypeptides and polypeptide variants. For example, E. coli K12 strain 294 (ATCC No. 31446) may be used as E. coli B, E. coli X1776 (ATCC No. 31537), and E. coli c600 and c600hfl, E. coli W3110 (F-, gamma-, prototrophic/ATCC No. 27325), bacilli such as Bacillus subtilis, and other enterobacteriaceae such as Salmonella-typhimurium or Serratia marcesans, and various pseudomonas species. The preferred prokaryote is E. coli W3110 (ATCC 27325). When expressed by prokaryotes the polypeptides typically contain an N-terminal methionine or a formyl methionine and are not glycosylated. In the case of fusion proteins, the N-terminal methionine or formyl methionine resides on the amino terminus of the fusion protein or the signal sequence of the fusion protein. These examples are, of course, intended to be illustrative rather than limiting.

In addition to prokaryotes, eukaryotic organisms, such as yeast cultures, or cells derived from multicellular organisms may be used. In principle, any such cell culture is workable. However, interest has been greatest in vertebrate cells, and propagation of vertebrate cells in culture (tissue culture) has become a reproducible procedure (Tissue Culture, Academic Press, Kruse and Patterson, editors (1973)). Examples of such useful host cell lines are VERO and HeLa cells, Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines, W138, 293, BHK, COS-7 and MDCK cell lines.

Specifically, in the instant case, the ANF gene was assembled from synthetic oligonucleotides and inserted into a convenient expression vector. The resulting plasmid, pB1537, places the transcription of the ANF gene under the control of the alkaline phosphatase promoter (AP) and translation under control of the tryptophan Shine-Dalgamo sequence. The stII signal sequence was used to secrete ANF into the E. coli periplasm.

3. Gene Fusions

A variation on the above procedures contemplates the use of gene fusions, wherein the gene encoding ANF or ANF variant is associated, in the vector, with a gene encoding another protein or a fragment of another protein. This results in ANF or ANF variants being produced by the host cell as a fusion with another protein. The “other” protein is often a protein or peptide which can be secreted by the cell, making it possible to isolate and purify the desired protein from the culture medium and eliminating the necessity of destroying the host cells which arises when the desired protein remains inside the cell. Alternatively, the fusion protein can be expressed intracellularly. It is useful to use fusion proteins that are highly expressed.

The use of gene fusions, though not essential, can facilitate the expression of heterologous proteins in E. coli as well as the subsequent purification of those gene products (Harris, T. J. R. in Genetic Engineering, Williamson, R., Ed., Academic, London, Vol. 4, p. 127[1983]; Uhlen, M. & Moks, T., Methods Enzymol. 185:129-143 [1990]). Protein A fusions are often used because the binding of protein A, or more specifically the Z domain of protein A, to IgG provides an “affinity handle” for the purification of the fused protein (Nilsson, B. & Abrahmsen, L. Methods Enzymol. 185:144-161 [1990]). It has also been shown that many heterologous proteins are degraded when expressed directly in E. coli, but are stable when expressed as fusion proteins (Marston, F. A. O., Biochem J. 240: 1 [1986]).

ANF or ANF variants expressed as fusion proteins may be properly folded or may require folding to obtain the native structure. The properly folded fusion protein may be active and useful as pharmaceutical drug. More preferred would be the correctly folded native protein that is obtained from the fusion protein by methods known in the art. Fusion proteins can be cleaved using chemicals, such as cyanogen bromide, which cleaves at a methionine, or hydroxylamine, which cleaves between an Asn and Gly. Using standard recombinant DNA methodology, the nucleotide base pairs encoding these amino adds may be inserted just prior to the 5′ end of the ANF or ANF variant gene.

Alternatively, one can employ proteolytic cleavage of fusion proteins, which has been recently reviewed (Carter, P. (1990) in Protein Purification: From Molecular Mechanisms to Large-Scale Processes, Ladisch, M. R., Willson, R. C., Painton, C. C., and Builder, S. E., eds., American Chemical Society Symposium Series No. 427, Ch 13, 181-193).

Proteases such Factor Xa, thrombin, subtilisin and mutants thereof, have been successfully used to cleave fusion proteins. Typically, a peptide linker that is amenable to cleavage by the protease used is inserted between the “other” protein (e.g. the Z domain of protein A) and the protein of interest, such as ANF or an ANF variant. Using recombinant DNA methodology, the nucleotide base pairs encoding the linker are inserted between the genes or gene fragments coding for the other proteins. Proteolytic cleavage of the partially purified fusion protein containing the correct linker can then be carried out on either the native fusion protein, or the reduced or denatured fusion protein.

The protein may or may not be properly folded when expressed as a fusion protein. Also, the specific peptide linker containing the cleavage site may or may not be accessible to the protease. These factors determine whether the fusion protein must be denatured and refolded, and if so, whether these procedures are employed before or after cleavage.

When denaturing and refolding are needed, typically the protein is treated with a chaotrope, such a guanidine HCl, and is then treated with a redox buffer, containing, for example, reduced and oxidized dithiothreitol or glutathione at the appropriate ratios, pH, and temperature, such that the protein of interest is refolded to its native structure.

4. Mutant DNA Production

As previously discussed, various techniques are also available which may now be employed to produce mutant ANF or an ANF variant DNA, which encodes for additions, deletions, or changes in amino acid sequence of the resultant protein relative to the parent ANF molecule.

By way of illustration, with expression vectors encoding ANF in hand, site specific mutagenesis (Kunkel et al., Methods Enzymol. 204:125-139 [1991]; Carter, P., et al., Nucl. Acids. Res. 13:4331 [1986]; Zoller, M. J. et al.,Nucl. Acids Res. 10:6487 [1982]), cassette mutagenesis (Wells, J. A., et al., Gene 34:315 [1985]), restriction selection mutagenesis (Wells, J. A., et al., Philos. Trans, R. Soc. London SerA 317, 415 [1986]) or other known techniques may be performed on the ANF DNA. The mutant DNA can then be used in place of the parent DNA by insertion into the aforementioned expression vectors. Growth of host bacteria containing the expression vectors with the mutant DNA allows the production of mutant ANF, which can be isolated as described herein.

Specifically, in the present case, 2 mutants of ANF that substituted aspartic acid at position 3 of ANF for arginine were expressed at dramatically higher levels in E coli than wild-type ANF. Additionally, one of these variants that further reduced the basicity of ANF with the mutations R11S and R14S showed the highest level of expression.

b. Purification and Characterization

Purification and characterization of ANF or ANF variants may be carried out by any art standard technique. In the instant case, recombinant mutant ANF (containing the mutations R3D/G9T/R11S/M12L/R14S/G16R) was purified from the broths of E. coli cultures grown in 10 liter fermentors by batch reverse phase chromatography, cation exchange chromatography and C18 reverse phase HPLC. Approximately 6 mg of purified ANP mutant per liter of fermentation broth was isolated using this method. The identity of the purified recombinant ANF was verified by mass spectral analysis (3026+/−0.4 amu, obs.; 3026 amu, calcd.) and amino acid analysis. The purified ANF appeared to be >95% homogeneous based on reverse phase HPLC. Amino acid analysis of the variants was within experimental error of that calculated from the sequence.

C. Discovery and Preferred Embodiments

In the course of screening ANF variants in a competition screen for human ANF receptors (hNPR-A vs hNPR-C) a number of unique amino acid substitutions were identified that conferred hNPR-A specificity. Somewhat surprisingly, variants identified in this way, enriched for human NPR-A binding, did not bind rat NPR-A. This species specificity for the variants is consistent with the known sequence difference between rat and human “A” receptors and points out the danger of using receptors other than those of the host in screening for variant ANF's having improved pharmacological properties.

Preferred compounds of this invention are synthetic hormone agonists of the human natriuretic peptide receptor-A (hNPR-A). This receptor is found in kidney, smooth muscle, adrenal and other tissues (Napier M. A. et al, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA, 81:5946-5950 (1984), and contains an intracellular guanyl cyclase domain. The action of hNPR-A is mediated by hydrolysis of GTP to produce the second messenger cGMP. Accordingly, preferred compounds of this invention stimulate hNPR-A to produce CGMP to at least the same extent as wild-type ANF.

The preferred compounds of this invention do not however bind to the human natriuretic peptide clearance receptor-C (hNPR-C) to the same extent as wild-type ANF. Rather they bind to the hNPR-C with less than 50% and more preferably less than 10% of the affinity of wild-type ANF. This is preferably achieved by substituting residues: T, R and E at position residue 9; S, D and P at position residue 11; and/or R (or another positively charged residue) and sometimes Y at residue position 16 in hANF(1-28).

For assay systems to measure binding of hANF and the compounds of this invention to hNPR-C see: Schank, D. B., et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 127:433-442 (1985); Scarborough, R. M., J. Biol. Chem. 261:12960-12964 and WO 90/01940.

The preferred compounds of this invention are also resistant to hydrolysis by NEP or neutral endopeptidase 24.11 (EC3.4.24.11). This is preferably achieved through stabilizing the Cys⁷-Phe⁸ amide bond by replacing it with an amide isostere. Alternatively or additionally, endopeptidase resistance can be improved by adding additional residues to the amino terminus, such as the “urodilatin” TAPR sequence, or by introducing a second crosslinking site into hANF(1-28) or variants thereof. An example of the latter, namely adding a second crosslinking site may be achieved by substituting homoCys into positions 18 and 28 and oxidizing them to form a second disulfide.

In view of the foregoing, most preferred hANF variants include;

D. Biological Activity

Receptor specific variants of the vasoactive hormone hANF(1-28) have been isolated that stimulate cellular hNPR-A guanyl cyclase activity and block hormone clearance mediated by cultured cells expressing hNPR-C. FIGS. 4A and 4B demonstrate the resistance to inactivation of a receptor specific ANF variant (hANF(1-28) R3D, G9T, R11S, M12L, R14S, G16R) in a culture of cells expressing hNPR-A alone or in a co-culture of cells expressing both hNPR-A and HNPR-C. Measurement of cGMP production in 293 cells expressing hNPR-A demonstrates that wild-type ANF stimulates guanyl cyclase activity. When a ten-fold excess of 293 cells that highly express hNPR-C (˜10⁶ “C” receptors/cell) is added, the activity of wild-type ANF is greatly reduced (EC₅₀ is about 25-fold higher, see FIG. 4A). However, when this experiment is repeated with the receptor specific variant, complete resistance to inactivation is observed (FIG. 4B). Comparison of FIGS. 4A and 4B also demonstrates that the receptor specific variant is equipotent to wild-type ANP in stimulating cGMP production from hNPR-A. Based on these findings and the literature reports that hNPR-C mediated clearance accounts for 70-80% of in vivo ANF clearance, the variants of this invention are believed to have superior pharmaceutical utility.

From an analysis of a large number of variants, the single naturally occurring amino acid substitution that produced the greatest receptor specificity was G16R. This substitution had a negligible effect on NPR-A binding but reduced NPR-C affinity about 150-fold. FIG. 5 shows the binding specificity for a typical variant containing the G16R substitution. Specifically, variant hANF(1-28) R3D, G9T, R11S, M12L, R14S, G16R competitively displaced bound I¹²⁵ labeled wild-type ANF from hNPR-A but showed no measurable affinity for the clearance receptor hNPR-C. Other receptor specific variants are presented in Table I below.

TABLE I ANF Structure* Binding Affinity Variant (see Formula I) IC₅₀(pM) No. X AA₉ AA₁₀ AA₁₁ AA₁₂ AA₁₄ AA₁₆ AA₁₈ hNPR-A hNPR-C 14 — — — — — — — 110 230 (wild type) 23 TAPR — — — I — R — 44 4193 24 — — — I — R — 57 5639 25 — — — I S R — 56 3305 27 T — S — — R — 57 1,000,000 31 T — S — — R P 52 3,213,100 32 E R P I — R — — — 50 T — S — — — — 570 251,000 51 E R P — — — — 4,550 32,200 60 — K S — — — — 112 5980 70a T — S L S R C*—C* 3,300 — 74^(b) T — S I — R — 29,400 10,000,000 75^(c) T — S I — R — 2,075 2,000,000 76^(d) TAPR T — S I — — — 8.9 10,000,000 78 a — S I — R — 57 8641 79^(e) T — S I — R — 2.4 1,481,300 80^(f) T — S I — R — 423 738,640 81^(g) T — S I — R — 1400 3,864,200 82^(h) T — S I — R — 93 3,006,000 83^(i) T — S I — R — 16 3,440,000 84^(j) T — S I — R — 21 19,000,000 90^(k) a — D I — R — 1,200 6,140,000 99^(l) — — — I — R A — — 100-1^(m) T — S I — R — 187 3,230,000 116^(n) T — S I — R — 2.9 7,100,000 123^(o) T — S I — R — 7.8 1,190,000 urod. TAPR — — — — — — — 25 25 *A blank (—) in the table indicates no deviation from the wild type sequence. C*—C* homocys^(18-homocys) ²⁸ disulfide bridges. ^(a)ANF 70 additionally contains a R3D substitution. ^(b)D-Ser inserted between residue AA₇ and AA₈. ^(c)D-Ala inserted between residue AA₇ and AA₈. ^(d)Also contains G20R substitution. ^(e)Cha inserted between residue AA₇ and AA₈. ^(f)des(AA₁-AA₆), C7MPa. ^(g)des(AA₁-AA₆), C7MPa. ^(h)Also contains C7(N—MeCys). ^(i)Also contains F8(N—MePhe). ^(j)Also contains C78F replaced with C(ψCH₂NH)F. ^(k)a is D—Ala. ^(l)Also contains A17E. ^(m)Also contains F8(Phg). ^(n)Also contains C78F replaced with C(ψCH₂NH)F and F26(N—MePhe). ^(o)Also contains C78F replaced with C(ψCH₂NH)F and N-terminal Ac.

Inhibition of cleavage of ANF variants by human NEP (hNEP) is demonstrated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. Human Endopeptidase 24.11 inactivates ANF by cleaving the sissile Cys⁷-Phe⁸ amide bond. Assay conditions for measurement of the half-life of various ANF variants is described in Example 22. Half-Lives for variants can be found in the legends (Brief Description of Drawings) to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8.

E. Utility and Administration

Compounds of the present invention have natriuretic, diuretic and vasorelaxant activity and may inhibit the release of aldosterone and renin. Thus, these compounds, find use as therapeutic agents in the treatment of various pathological conditions associated with water or electrolyte imbalance and hypertension, especially renovascular hypertension. Such conditions include, for example, congestive heart failure (CHF), nephrotic syndrome and hepatic cirrhosis, pulmonary disease, and renal failure due to ineffective renal perfusion or reduced glomerular filtration rate.

The present invention also provides compositions containing an effective amount of compounds of the present invention, including the nontoxic addition salts, amides and esters thereof, which may, alone, serve to provide the above-recited therapeutic benefits. Such compositions can be provided together with physiologically tolerable liquid, gel or solid diluents, adjuvants and excipients.

The compounds and compositions can be administered to humans in a manner similar to other therapeutic agents. The dosage to be administered will depend on the usual factors including; age, weight, sex, condition of the patient and route of administration. In general, the dosage required for therapeutic efficacy will range from about 0.01 to 1000 μg/kg, more usually 0.1 to 25 μg/kg of the host body weight. Alternatively, dosages within these ranges can be administered by constant infusion over an extended period of time until the desired therapeutic benefits have been obtained.

Typically, such compositions are prepared as injectable liquid solutions or suspensions. Compositions may also be emulsified. The active ingredient is often mixed with diluents or excipients which are physiologically tolerable and compatible with the active ingredient. Suitable diluents and excipients are, for example, water saline, dextrose, glycerol, or the like, and combinations thereof. In addition, if desired the compositions may contain minor amounts of auxiliary substances such as wetting or emulsifying agents, stabilizing or pH-buffering agents, and the like. For a more detailed description of the foregoing see a standard pharmaceutical text such as Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mack Publishing Co. Easton, Pa. (1970).

The compositions of this invention are conventionally administered parenterally by injection, either subcutaneoulsly or intravenously. Additional formulations which are suitable for other modes of administration include suppositories, intranasal aerosols, and, in some cases, oral formulations. For suppositories, traditional binders nd excipients may include, for example, polyalkylene glycols or triglycerides; such suppositories may be formed from mixtures containing the active ingredient in the range of 0.5% to 10% preferably 1%-2%. Oral formulations include such normally employed excipients as, for example, pharmaceutical grades of mannitol, lactose, starch, magnesium stearate, sodium saccharin, cellulose, magnesium carbonate, and the like. These compositions take the form of solutions, suspensions, tablets, pills, capsules, sustained-release formulations, or powders, and contain 10%-95% if active ingredient, preferably 25%-70%.

The peptide compounds may be formulated into the compositions as neutral or salt forms. Pharmaceutically acceptable nontoxic salts include the acid addition salts (formed with the free amino groups) and which are formed with inorganic acids such as, for example, hydrochloric or phosphoric acids, or organic acids such as acetic, oxalic, tartaric, mandelic, and the like. Salts formed with the free carboxyl groups may be derived from inorganic bases such as, for example, sodium, potassium, ammonium, calcium, or ferric hydroxides, and such organic bases as isopropyl amine, 2-ethylamino ethanol, histidine, procaine, and the like.

In addition to the compounds of the present invention which display natriuretic, diuretic or vasorelaxant activity, compounds of the present invention can also be employed as intermediates in the synthesis of such useful compounds. Alternatively, by appropriate selection, compounds of the present invention whose activity levels are reduced or eliminated entirely can serve to modulate the activity of other diuretic, natriuretic or vasorelaxant compounds, including compounds outside the scope of the present invention, by, for example, binding to alternate receptors, stimulating receptor turnover, or providing alternate substrates for degradative enzyme of receptor activity and thus inhibiting these enzymes or receptors. When employed in this manner, such compounds can be delivered as admixtures with other active compounds or can be delivered separately, for example, in their own carriers.

EXAMPLES

In the following Examples, amino acids are described by the standard three letter amino acid code when referring to intermediates and final products. The linear peptides and intermediates described herein are prepared by the solid phase method of peptide synthesis (R. Merrifield, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1964, 85, 2149 and M. Bodansky, “Principles of Peptide Synthesis.” Springer-Verlag, 1984). Abbreviations used are as follows: Acetyl (Ac); tert-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc); p-toluenesulfonyl (Tos); 4-methylbenzyl (MeBzl); benzyl (Bzl); 2-bromobenzyloxycarbonyl (Br—Z); cyclohexyl ester (Ochex); 4-methoxylbenzyl (MeOBzl), 2-chlorobenzyloxycarbonyl (Cl—Z); hydrogen fluoride (HF); benzotriazolyloxytris(dimethylamino)phosphoniumhexafluorophos-phate (BOP); methylene chloride (DCM); trifluoroacetic acid (TFA); and dimethylacetamide (DMA).

Peptides were assembled using an Applied Biosystems 430A automated peptide synthesizer. Protected amino acids were obtained from various vendors. Side chain protection was Asp (Ochex), Cys (MeOBzl), Arg (Tos), Ser(Bzl), Thr (Bzl), Lys (Cl—Z), and Tyr (Br—Z).

Example 1 Thr-Ala-Pro-Arg-Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phe-Gly-Gly-Arg-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 5), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 23)

The peptide was assembled on 0.7 g (1.0 mmol) of Boc-Tyr(Br-Z) PAM resin (Applied Biosystems). The coupling protocols were those recommended by Applied Biosystems and DMA was used instead of DMF as solvent. After chain assembly the N-terminal Boc group was removed using TFA. The peptide resin was then washed with dichloromethane followed by methanol and then dried under vacuum. The peptide was then deprotected and removed from the resin by stirring the peptide-resin in 20 ml of a mixture of HF (92.5%), anisole (5%) and ethylmethylsulfide (2.5%) for 1 hr at 0 degrees. The HF was then removed in vacuo and the resin washed with ether. The resin was washed with 10% acetic acid in water, acetonitrile, water, and the filtrate was recovered and lyophilized. The crude linear peptide (300 mg) was dissolved in 10 L of distilled water with the pH adjusted to 7.4-7.6 with concentrated ammonium hydroxide. The cyclization is begun immediately by adding 0.003 M K₃[Fe(CN)₆] (1 g dissolved in 100 mL of distilled water) dropwise (ca. 1 drop/10 sec.) with vigorous stirring. Addition of the iron solution is halted when a bright yellow color persists, and the reaction mixture is stirred for an addition 4 to 5 h. The pH of the cyclized solution is adjusted to 4.5 with HOAc.

Bio Rex 70 cation exchange resin, 200-400 mesh in the Na⁺ form is washed with 1 N HCl and then with distilled water. Approximately 110 g of this resin is added to the cyclized peptide solution and stirred overnight. The resin is filtered, washed exhaustively with distilled water, and slurry packed into a column. The peptide is eluted using 70% aqueous HOAc, identified by TLC (ninhydrin visualization) and lyophilized. The peptide was dissolved in 0.1% TFA in water, loaded onto a 2.5 cm×50 cm C-18 reversed phase column (15 micron, 300A) and eluted with a shallow gradient of increasing acetonitrile. The elution conditions consisted of a 10% to 50% acetonitrile (containing 0.1% TFA) gradient at 0.5% min.⁻¹. The aqueous phase was 0.1% TFA in water. Product containing fractions were then lyophilized to afford the pure title peptide. Electrospray ionization: Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3586.2; found 3586.3. HPLC t_(R)=29 min.

Following the procedure in Example 1, the compounds of Examples 2-9 were analogously prepared.

Example 2 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phe-Gly-Gly-Arg-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 6), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 24)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3162; found 3161.3. HPLC t_(R)=31 min.

Example 3 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phe-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 11) Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 27)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3135.3; found 3135.6. HPLC t_(R)=31 min.

Example 4 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phe-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 12), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 28)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3218.7; found 3219.4. HPLC t_(R)=30 min.

Example 5 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phe-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Pro-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 13), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 31)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3104.8; found 3104.6. HPLC t_(R)=30 min.

Example 6 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phe-Thr-Gly-Ser-Met-Asp-Arg-Ile-Gly-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 8), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 50)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3054.4; found 3054.0. HPLC t_(R)=30 min.

Example 7 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phe-Glu-Arg-Pro-Met-Asp-Arg-Ile-Gly-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 27), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 51)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3190.8; found 3191.9. HPLC t_(R)=31 min.

Example 8 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phe-Gly-Lys-Ser-Met-Asp-Arg-Ile-Gly-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 14), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 60)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3082.4; found 3082.3. HPLC t_(R)=28 min.

Example 9 Ser-Leu-Asp-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phe-Thr-Gly-Ser-Leu-Asp-Ser-Ile-Arg-Ala-homocysteine-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-homocysteine (SEQ ID NO: 41) Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide, homocysteine¹⁸-homocysteine²⁸ disulfide (ANF 70)

The following standard manual peptide synthesis protocol was employed in the construction of this multiple disulfied variant (“tie-down” variant):

(1) Wash 3× with dichloromethane (DCM)

(2) Treat for 1 min. with 50:50 TFA/DCM

(3) Treat for 20 min. with 50:50 TFA/DCM

(4) Wash 3× with DCM

(5) Treat for 1 min. with 5% (v/v) DIPEA/DCM.

(6) Treat for 5 min. with 5% (v/v) DIPEA/DCM.

(7) Wash 4× with DCM.

(8) Wash 1× with N-methyl-2-pyrroldinone (NMP).

(9) Add 5 equivalents of the Boc-protected amino acid 5 equivalents of diisopropylcarbodiimide (DIPC) and 5 equivalents of hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBT) in 50:50 DCM/NMP.

(10) Wash 1× with NMP.

(11) Wash 3× with DCM.

(12) Test by ninhydrin reaction according to Kaiser et al., Anal. Biochem. 1970, 34, 595. If the coupling reaction is incomplete, repeat steps 5-12.

The peptide was synthesized manually, starting with 1.5 g (0.92 mmol) of Boc-homocysteine (MeBzl) Merrified resin. The peptide was synthesized using standard t-Boc chemistry protocol. Cysteine⁷ and cysteine²³ side chains were protected as acetamidomethyl (Acm) thioethers while homocysteine¹⁸ and homocysteine²⁸ side chain were protected as methyl benzyl (MeBzl) thioethers. The side chain carboxylate of Asp¹³ was protected as the benzyl ester; the carboxylate side chain of Asp³ was protected as a cyclohexyl ester. After peptide chain assembly, the N-terminal Boc group was removed using TFA. The peptide resin was then washed with dichloromethane followed by ethanol and dried under vacuum. The peptide was then deprotected and removed from the resin by stirring the peptide resin in 40 mL of a mixture of HF (92.5%), anisole (5%) and ethyl methyl sulfide (2.5%) for one hour in an ice bath. The HF was then removed in vacuo and resin was washed with ether. The peptide was extracted from resin by washing with 10% acetic acid in water followed by water. The filtrate was pooled and lyophilized. The crude linear peptide (400 mg) was dissolved in 800 ml of water with pH adjusted to 8.0 with ammonium hydroxide. The solution was stirred for 72 hours at room temperature after which solution was acidified with TFA, filtered and loaded onto a 1.0 cm×50 cm C-18 reversed phase column (15 micron, 300 A). The peptide was eluted with a shallow gradient of 10% to 50% acetonitrile (containing 0.1% TFA) with increasing acetonitrile at 0.5%/min. The aqueous phase was 0.1% TFA in water. The intermediate product (homocys¹⁸, homocys²⁸ disulfide) fractious were lyophilized. Electron spray ionization: calc. M+H=3110.3, found=3110.0. HPLC tR=38 min. The intermediate product (homocys¹⁸, homocys²⁸ disulfide−20 mg) was dissolved in 40 mL of acetic acid:water (80:20). A solution of iodine was prepared in glacial acetic acid and added dropwise to peptide containing solution over a period of time until brownish yellow color persisted. The mixture was stirred overnight (20 hr). Small amounts of zinc dust were added to the mixture the next day until solution became colorless. The solution was filtered, diluted with water and lyophilized. The lyophilized crude peptide was dissolved in 50 ml of 5% acetonitrile in water, filtered and loaded onto a 1×50 cm Vydac (18 column—15-20 micron, 300 A) for HPLC purification.

The peptide was eluted with a shallow gradient of 17% to 32% acetonitrile (containing 0.1% TFA) with increasing acetonitrile at 0.25% min.⁻¹. The product containing fractions were lyophilized: Electrospray ionization : Calc. M+H=2966.2; found 2966.69.

Example 10 Boc-Ile-(Cy)Asp-(Tos)Arg-Ile-(Tos)Arg-Ala-Gln-(Bz)Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-(pMB)Cys-Asn-(Bz)Ser-Phe-(Tos)Arg-(2-Br-CBZ)Tyr-PAM-resin

Boc-(Br-cbz)Tyr-PAM resin(25 gm, substitution of 0.51 mmoles/gm) was bought from Bachem Inc., Torrance, Calif., while rest of the BOC-amino acid derivatives were from Star Biochemicals, Torrance, Calif. The side-chain protection for arginine, cysteine and serine derivatves were chosen as tosyl(Tos), p-methyl benzyl(pMB) and benzyl(Bz) respectively.

Synthesis Protocol

Wash volumes: 10 ml/gm resin

Pre-wash CH₂C₂, 3 times, 1 min. mix each time

De-protection:

TFA/CH₂Cl₂ (1:1),1 time, 1 min. mix

TFA/CH₂Cl₂ (1:1),1 time, 30 min. mix

Wash CH₂Cl₂, 4 times, 1 min. mix each time

Neutralization 5% DIEA/CH₂Cl₂, 3 times, 1 min. mix each time

Wash CH₂Cl₂, 4 times, 1 min. mix each time

Kaiser test was performed on a few beads to note the reference bead color to compare it the test color after the coupling.

Coupling Protocol

Four molar excess amount of the amino acid derivatives were used in all the couplings for each mole of the tyrosine PAM resin. Diisopropyl carbodiimide (DIPC) and N-hydroxy benzotriazole (HOBT) were used as coupling reagents in similar molar excess as the amino acids for all the residues except alanine. Alanine was coupled with four molar excess of benzotriazol-1-yloxy-tris(dimethylamino)phosphonium hexafluorophosphate(BOP) and HOBT and six molar excess of N-methyl morpholine(NMM) for one hour. The DIPC and HOBT couplings were generally done for two hours. The completion of the coupling was inferred by a negative Kaiser test. Last five residues(residue nos.1 through 5) had to be double coupled using BOP/HOBT, while the rest were coupled in the first attempt. For the second coupling only half the amounts were used for the residues 1,2,3 and 5, while for the 4th residue same amounts of the amino acids and reagents were used.

At the end of the synthesis the resin was deprotected, washed thoroughly with CH₂Cl₂, CH₂Cl₂/Ethanol (1:1) and dried in a desiccator. The final weight of the resin peptide was 45 gm. (Theo. 50.9 gm.). Procedures analogous to those used in example 1 were used to complete the synthesis of the following peptides.

Example 11 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-(D-Ser)-Phe-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 29), Cys⁷-Cys²⁴ disulfide (ANF 74)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3223.5; found 3222.9. HPLC t_(R)=30 min.

Example 12 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-(D-Ala)-Phe-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 30), Cys⁷- Cys²⁴ disulfide (ANF 75)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3207.5; found 3207.0. HPLC t_(R)=33 min.

Example 13 Thr-Ala-Pro-Arg-Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phe-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 15), Cys¹¹-Cys²⁷ disulfide (ANF 76)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3559.7; found 33561.0. HPLC t_(R)=28 min.

Example 14 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Cha-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 16), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (where Cha=1-cyclohexylalanine) (ANF 79)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3141.8; found 3142.2. HPLC t_(R)=35 min.

Example 15 Mpa-Phe-(D-Thr)-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 31), Mpa¹-Cys¹⁷ disulfide (Mpa=mercaptopropionic acid) (ANF 80)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=2433.2; found 2434.6. HPLC t_(R)=38 min.

Example 16 Mpa-Phe-(D-Ala)-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 32), Mpa¹-Cys¹⁷ disulflde (Mpa=mercaptopropionic acid) (ANF 81)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=2403.2; found 2404.3. HPLC t_(R)=36 min.

Example 17 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-(N-Me-l-Cys)-Phe-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 33), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 82)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3156.5; found 33150.0. HPLC t_(R)=29 min.

Example 18 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-(N-Me-l-Phe)-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 34), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 83 )

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3148.5; found 3149.6. HPLC t_(R)=30 min.

Example 19 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phe-(D-Ala)-Gly-Asp-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 38), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 90)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3132.5; found 3133.7. HPLC t_(R)=33 min.

Example 20 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phg-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 39), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (Phg is d and 1 phenyl glycine) (ANF 100-1)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3120.6; found 3121.8. HPLC t_(R)=30 min.

Example 21 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys(ψCH₂NH)Phe-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 35), Cys⁷-Cys²² disulfide (ANF 84)

C(ψCH₂NH)F represents the peptide segment derived from the amino acid below:

For the synthesis of the titled compound, 1.53 g of the resin peptide containing residues 12-27 was used. The next four residues (Phe-“8”, Thr-9, Gly-10, Ser-11) were coupled manually using the standard protocols described above (ca. 4 eq reagent, BOP/HOBT/NMM couplings; repeat couplings, when necessary, with 3 eq reagent and DIPC) and the N-terminal t-Boc protecting group was removed using the TFA deblock procedure. N-Boc, S-4-methylbenzyl cysteinal (2.86 g of crude material prepared as described below) was added to the resin peptide (after the standard deblock, neutralization and washes) and 1.0 g of NaCNBH₃ in AcOH/DMF (1% v/v) at room temperature for 18 h. The resin was washed twice with AcOH/DMF (1% v/v), once with DMA, and twice with CH₂Cl₂. The N-terminal t-Boc protecting group was removed and the synthesis was continued using the standard protocol.

N-Boc, S-4-Methylbenzyl Cysteinal. N-Boc-S(4-methylbenzyl) L-cysteine (49.64 g, 153 mmol), BOP (67 g, 151 mmol), HOBT (22 g, 163 mmol), and 400 mL of CH₂Cl₂ where combined in a 1 L round-bottomed flask equipped with a magnetic stirring bar and cooled in a ice bath. N-Methylmorpholine (NMM, 18 mL, 16.56 g, 164 mmol) was added dropwise to the stirring solution over a 5 min. period. After completion of the addition, the reaction mixture was removed from the cooling bath and stirred for a 15 min period at room temperature. N,O-dimethylhydroxylamine hydrochloride (19 g, 195 mmol) was added as a solid to the stirring solution followed by the dropwise addition of 35 mL (25.97 g, 200 mmol) of diisopropyl ethyl amine. The resulting solution was stirred overnight, partitioned between CH₂Cl₂ and 10% (w/v) aqueous K₂CO₃, followed by 10% (w/v) aqueous citric acid and then brine. After drying the organic extracts over anhydrous sodium sulfate, the reaction mixture was filter and concentrated under reduced pressure. The crude material was chromatographed using 1 kg of silica gel (Merck, 230-400 mesh) using 2:1 hexanes/ethyl acetate as eluent to provide 43.95 g (119 mmol, 79%) of N-Boc-S-(4-methylbenzyl) L-cysteine N,O-methoxymethylamide as a viscous, clear oil.

To a solution of 11.54 g (32.6 mmol) of N-Boc-S-(4-methylbenzyl) L-cysteine N,O-methoxymethylamide in 65 mL of anhydrous Et2O in a 250 mL oven-dried, round-bottomed flask equipped with a magnetic stirring bar and a N₂ inlet and cooled to −78° C. in a dry ice/acetone bath was added 35 mL (35 mmol) of an 1.0 M solution of LiAlH₄ in THF (Aldrich) by syringe over a period of 20 minutes (caution: gas is evolved during the addition). After stirring for a 15 min period at −78° C., the reaction mixture is removed from the cooling bath and the reaction mixture is allowed to warm to 0° C. (takes ca 30-60 min) and kept at this temperature for an additional 30-60 min using an ice bath. Keeping the reaction flask in the cooling bath, a solution of 9 g of KHSO₄ in 180 mL DI water is slowly added over approximately 20 minutes while stirring (caution: vigorous gas evolution and exotherm. A dry ice/acetone bath was used when necessary to keep reaction temperature at ca. 10° C.). Working quickly, the reaction flask is removed from the dry ice cooling bath and the reaction slurry is allowed to warm to room temperature. Additional Et₂O is added and the mixture is diluted with water. The resulting suspension is vacuum filtered through a plug of celite. The organic layer were separated and the aqueous layers were extracted with ether (3×100 mL) and the combined organic layers were washed 2×50 mL of cold 0.3 N HCl, 1×50 mL of a saturated aqueous solution of NaHCO₃, and 50 mL of brine, dried using anhydrous MgSO₄, filtered, and concentrated using a rotary evaporator with a room temperature water bath to give 8.57 g of crude aldehyde. NMR is used to assess the purity of the aldehyde and ca. 1/3 of the aldehyde was used directly in the reductive alkylation without further purification (essentially as in Feherenz et al., Synthesis, 676-678 [1983]).

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3119.5; found 3121.7. HPLC t_(R)=30 min.

Example 22 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phe-Gly-Gly-Arg-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Glu-Ala-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 24), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 99)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3164.5; found 3167.4. HPLC t_(R)=28 min.

Example 23 Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-(ψCH₂NH)Phe-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-(N-Me-l-Phe)-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 36), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 116)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H=3135.5; found 3136.2. HPLC t_(R)=32 min.

Example 24 Ac-Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-(ψCH₂NH)Phe-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg-Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 37), Cys⁷-Cys²³ disulfide (ANF 123)

Electrospray ionization: Calc. M+H 3162.6; found 3164.6. HPLC t_(R)=28 min.

Example 25 Inhibition of cleavage of ANF variants by human NEP (hNEP)

Human endopeptidase 24.11 inactivates ANF by cleaving the sissile Cys⁷-Phe⁸ amide bond. The half-life of various ANF variants was measured according to the following procedure.

ANF Solution: An accurately weighed amount of ANF or variant thereof was diluted with HEPES buffer (5 ml of 1 M HEPES Buffer and 0.1 ml of Tween 20 diluted to a 100 ml volume with DI water) to make a 0.5 mg/ml solution.

hNEP/HEPES Solution: 7.5 μl of a 1 mg/ml solution of hNEP (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,700) is dissolved in 992.5 μl of HEPES buffer (as described above) and vortex mixed. The resulting mixture is stored in a silylated Eppendorf tube and periodically checked for activity against an ANF peptide standard.

Assay conditions: 150 μl of an ANF solution in the HEPES buffer is diluted with 820 μl HEPES buffer and vortex mixed (1 sec). Careful note of the time is taken as 30 μl of the hNEP/HEPES solution is added and the solution is vortex mixed for 1 sec. and analyzed by periodic removal of constant volume aliquots by the HPLC autosampler. A 2.5 cm×50 cm, C-18 reversed-phase column (15 micron, 300 Å]) was used and elution was achieved by using a shallow gradient of increasing acetonitrile. The elution conditions consisted of a 10% to 50% acetonitrile (containing 0.1% TFA) gradient at 0.5% min.⁻¹. The aqueous phase was 0.1% TFA in water. The peak area of the ANP peptide is recorded at these periodic intervals and a half-life is determined from these values.

In the recombinant methods described below in Examples 26-29 the following materials and methods were used. The Nugel P-RP reverse phase resin was purchased from Separation Industries and the Vydac C18 and Mono S columns from Pharmacia LKB Biotechnology, Inc. Oligonucleotides were synthesized using hydrogen phosphonate chemistry (Froehler, B. C. et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 14:5399-5407 [1986]) and purified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). E. coli strain XL1-Blue MRF′ was purchased from Stratagene. Restriction enzymes were from New England Biolabs. All other reagents were obtained were of the highest grade commercially available.

Example 26 Construction of the ANF Expression Vector

All DNA manipulations were performed according to standard procedures unless otherwise indicated (Sambrook et al., supra). The ANF gene was assembled from synthetic oligonucleotides designed to code for the published sequence of the ANF and code for the restriction sites Nsi I and Apa at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the gene, respectively. Three sense strand oligonucleotides and 3 overlapping anti-sense strand oligonucleotides were synthesized. The sequence of the sense strands were;

5′-TCTCTGCGTAGATCTAGCTGCTTCGGCGGCCGCATG (SEQ ID NO: 42),

5′-GATCGTATCGGAGCTCAGAGCGGTCTCGGGTGCAA (SEQ ID NO: 43) and

5′-CAGCTTCCGTTACGTAGGCGGGCC (SEQ ID NO: 44).

The sequence of the anti-sense strands were;

5′-CAGCTAGATCTACGCAGAGATGCA (SEQ ID NO: 45),

5′-TCTGAGCTCCGATACGATCCATGCGGCCGCCGAAG (SEQ ID NO: 46) and

5′-CGCCTACGTAACGGAAGCTGITGCACCCGAGACCGC (SEQ ID NO: 47).

These oligonucleotides were phosphorylated, ligated together and the ligation product digested with Nsi I and Apa I after heat inactivation of the ligase. The digest was then electrophoresed on a 5% polyacrylamide gel in 89 mM Tris-borate, 1 mM EDTA, pH 7.9, the gel was stained with ethidium bromide, and a band of approximately 95 base pairs was excised and the DNA electro-eluted. The ANF expression vector pB1325 was created by ligating the fragment obtained from the oligonucleotide assembly into the large vector fragment of Nsi I and Apa I digested pS0132. After ligation E coli XL-1 cells were transformed with the mixture and ampicillin resistent colonies were selected. DNA was subsequently isolated from a number of these colonies and subjected to dideoxy sequencing (Sanger, F., Nicklen, S., and A. R. Coulsen, Proc. Natl, Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463-5467 [1977]). A plasmid which encoded the correct ANP sequence, pB1325, was isolated and further subjected to site-directed mutagenesis (Kunkel) using an oligonucleotide with the sequence;

5′-AACAGCTTCCGTTACTAGGGCGGGCCC (SEQ ID NO: 48)

to introduce an amber stop codon immediately following the codon for Tyr28 of the ANF sequence. The resulting plasmid, pB1537, contains the wild-type human ANF gene under the expression control of the alkaline phosphatase promoter, the trytophan Shine-Dalgarno sequence and the stII signal sequence. Shake flask experiments showed that pB1537 in 23G3 would secrete small amounts of ANF into the culture broth. However, some ANF variants in the same expression vector were found to express much higher amounts of protein.

Example 27 Expression and Purification of Recombinant ANF Variant hANF(1-28) R3D, G9T, R11S, M12L, R14S, G16R

Cultures of 34B8 pB1761T (see Example 26 for DNA construction) were grown at 37° C. for about 24 hours in an aerated 10 liter fermentor in a low phosphate minimal media (Carter, P. et al., Biotechnology 10 pp163-167, 1992) and containing 2 mg/ml carbenicillin. Glucose was added to maintain glucose excess or avoid anaerobiosis, depending on cell density, and the pH was maintained at pH 7.4 with the addition of NH₄OH. Cell density at harvest was about 100 OD₅₅₀.

Recombinant ANF containing the mutations R3D/G9T/R11S/M12L/R14S/G16R was purified as follows. The above cells were removed from 1 liter of fermentation culture by centrifugation at 6000 rpm (in Sorvall GS3 rotor) for 15 min, and the broth further clarified by filtration through a 0.45 micron membrane. The broth was brought to 0.1% TCA, incubated at room temperature for 30 minutes and centrifuged at 9000 rpm (in Sorvall GS3 rotor) for 30 minutes to remove any precipitable material. To the supernatant 1/10 volume of Nugel P-RP (Separation Industries) was added and gently mixed for 1 hour at room temperature. The reverse phase resin was then separated with a sintered glass filter and rinsed extensively with 0.1% TFA. The bound material was then eluted with 50% acetonitrile+0.1% TFA. The elute was then concentrated with a rotovap to remove the acetonitrile, and resuspended in 50 ml of 10 mM acetate buffer, pH 4.6. This solution was loaded onto a Mono S column, thoroughly rinsed with 20 mM acetate buffer, pH 4.6, and eluted with a 0-200 mM NaCl gradient in 20 mM acetate buffer, pH 4.6. The eluted fractions assayed to contain ANP activity were then pooled, concentrated by lyophilization, and resuspended in 5 ml of dH₂O. This sample was acidified (final 0.1% TFA), loaded onto a preparative Vydac C18 column and fractioned over a 0-30% acetonitrile+0.1% TFA gradient. A large dominant peak that occurred at about 16% acetonitrile was collected. Mass specroscopy, amino acid analysis and NMR showed this to the expected mutant ANP at a purity of greater than 95%. This material was lyophilized for storage.

Example 28 ANF Variants

The ANF expression vector, pB1537, contains a f1 origin of replication that enables the production of single stranded DNA which can be used for site-directed mutagenesis of this plasmid. Oligonucleotides with the sequences

5′-GCCTATGCATCTCTGGATAGATCTAGCTGC (SEQ ID NO: 49) and

5′-AGATCTAGCTGCTTCACCGGCAGCCTGGATAGTATCAGAGCTCAGAGCGG (SEQ ID NO: 50)

were used to separately introduce the ANF mutations R3D and G9T/R11S/M12L/R14S/G16R into pB1537 by site-directed mutagenesis as described by Kunkel (Kunkel, T. A. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 82:488-492 [1985]). To produce a mutant combining the mutations generated from both oligonucleotides the ˜900 bp Bgl II-Sty1 DNA fragment from the R3D mutant was ligated to the ˜4000 bp Bgl II-Sty1 DNA fragment of the G9T/R11S/M12L/R14S/G16R mutant. The resulting plasmid codes for the ANF mutant R3D/G9T/R11S/M12L/R14S/G16R is referred to as pB1761T.

Example 29 Natriuretic Peptide Concentration Response Measured by cGMP production

Stable 293 cell lines were maintained in glycine free F-12/Dulbecco's minimal essential medium (50/50, v/v) with 10% dialyzed fetal calf serum, 10 mM Hepes, 400 ng/ml of G418 (Geneticin, GIBCO/BRL), pH 7.2, in a humidified incubator at 37° C. with 7% CO₂, 93% air. Cells were passaged using 136.8 mM NaCL, 2.6 mM KCl, 7.9 mM Na₂HPO₄, 1.4 mM KH₂PO₄, pH 7.2 (PBS) with 0.5 mM EDTA. For concentration-response experiments log phase cultures of 293 cell lines were passaged to 12 well plates at a density of 2.5×10⁵ cells/well. After 48 hours cultures were approximately 50% confluent, and were used for stimulation of cGMP production. Peptide treatments were carried out essentially as described by Lowe and Fendly (1992). Briefly, dried peptide aliquots were resuspended in 0.1% (v/v) acetic acid to a stock concentration of 50 μM, and diluted to 1 μM in F-12/Dulbecco's minimal essential medium (50/50, v/v) with 25 mM Hepes, 0.1% (w/v) bovine serum albumin, 0.1 mM isobutylmethylxanthine at pH 7.2 (stimulation medium). Five-fold serial dilutions were prepared in stimulation medium using polypropylene tubes, then prewarmed to 37° C. before use. Cell culture medium was aspirated prior to adding 0.5 ml of stimulation medium plus peptides to monolayer cultures for 10 minutes at 37° C. Reactions were stopped by addition of 0.5 ml of ice cold 12% trichloroacetic acid to give a final volume of 1 ml. Culture plates were frozen on dry ice and stored at −20° C. prior to assay. For cGMP measurements samples were thawed at room temperature, and processed as described by Koller et al., Science 252:120-123 (1991), for cGMP radioimmunoassay (Biomedical Technologies, Inc). All stimulations were performed in triplicate, and samples were measured in duplicate for cGMP by radioimmumoassay. Predicted peptide concentrations were corrected based on quantitative amino acid analysis of duplicate samples from the same set of peptide aliquots used for the stimulation experiments.

Membrane preparation. Stable cell lines expressing human NPR-A (Lowe and Fendly, J. Biol. Chem. 267:21691-21697 (1992)) or human NPR-C (Cunningham et al., EMBO J 13, 2508-2515 (1994)) were removed from cell culture dishes with 0.5 mM EDTA in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), placed in ice cold PBS and centrifuged at 228 g for 10 min at 4° C. The cell pellets were resuspended in ice-cold homogenization buffer (50 mM HEPES, 1 mM EDTA, 1 mM DTT, 0.25 M sucrose, 0.7 mg/mL pepstatin A, 0.5 mg/mL leupeptin and 1 mM PMSF, pH 7.4). The cells were then homogenized using a Brinkman polytron at setting 5 for 30 sec. The homogenate was centrifuged at 400×g for 10 min at 4° C. The supernatant was collected and centrifuged at 100,000×g for 30 min at 4° C. The pellet was then disrupted using a dounce tissue homogenizer in storage buffer (50 mM HEPES, 0.1 mM EDTA, 5 mM MgCl₂, 100 mM NaCl, 0.7 mg/mL pepstatin A, 0.5 mg/mL leupeptin and 1 mM PMSF, pH 7.4) and aliquots were frozen on dry ice prior to storage at −80° C. Protein concentrations was determined using the Biorad protein assay with IgG as a standard.

For preparation of membranes from Rhesus monkey tissues, frozen tissue was placed between parafilm and broken up into pieces by hitting with a hammer. Tissue was transferred to a 125 mL polypropylene tube containing 100 mL of ice-cold buffer #1 (50 mM HEPES, pH 7.4, 1 mM EDTA, 250 mM sucrose, 0.7 mg/mL pepstatin A, 0.5 mg/mL leupeptin, 1 mM PMSF, and 1 mM phosphoramidon). Tissue was homogenized with a Brinkman polytron on a setting of 5 two times for 10 sec. The sample was placed on ice between homogenizations. 11 mL of 30 mM MgCl₂/100 mM NaCl containing 1 mM phosphoramidon was added to the homogenate. The homogenate was spun at 400×g for 10 min at 4° C. in a HB-4 rotor. The supernatant was transferred to another tube and spun as above. The supernatant was passed though four layers of sterile gauze then centrifuged at 30,000×g for 20 min at 4° C. in a 60 Ti rotor. The pellet was resuspended in 3-5 mL of buffer #2 (50 mM HEPES, pH 7.4, 0.1 mM EDTA, 5 mM MgCl₂, 100 mM NaCl, 0.7 mg/mL pepstatin A, 0.5 mg/mL leupeptin, 1 mM PMSF, and 1 mM phosphoramidon), using a 7 mL Wheaton Dounce with a B pestle. Aliquots were stored at −80° C.

Membrane competition binding assays. Membranes diluted in 50 mM HEPES, 5 mM MgCl₂, 0.1 M NaCl, 0.1 mM EDTA, 0.2% BSA, pH 7.4 were added to 96 well polypropylene plates (Sigma) with an equal volume of competitor plus 30 pM ¹²⁵I-rANP. The plates were incubated for 2 hr at 22° C. Bound peptide was separated from free by vacuum filtration through 1% polyethyleneimine-treated Packard unifilter-96 GF/B filter plates using a Packard Filtermate 196 cell harvester. The plates were washed six times with PBS, then air dried prior to adding scintillant and counted in a Packard Topcount scintillation counter for 1 min/well. Binding was measured in duplicate for each concentration of competitor.

cGMP stimulation of rhesus lung membranes. Rhesus lung membranes were stimulated with peptide in stimulation buffer (50 mM HEPES, pH 7.4, 0.1 mM EDTA, 0.1 M NaCl, 5 mM MgCl₂, 0.2% BSA, 0.2 mM IBMX and 1 mM phosphoramidon) containing 1 mM ATPgS and 1 mM GTP in a total volume of 100 μL. Stimulation was initiated by the addition of 50 mg of membranes. Reactions were quickly vortexed and then incubated for 20 min at 30° C. Reactions were stopped with the addition of 900 μL of 50 mM glacial acetic acid and boiled for 3 min. The tubes were chilled on ice and spun quickly to remove debris. The supernatants were transferred to borosilicate tubes and assayed by a cGMP radioimmunoassay (Biomedical Technologies catalog #BT-340).

Data analysis. The competition binding curves and cGMP production dose responses were analyzed by the four-parameter logistic equation with the KaleidaGraph™ program (Synergy Software, PA) to obtain estimates of the IC₅₀ or EC₅₀ values. The non linear least-squares curve fitting program SCATPLOT was used to analyze the competition binding curves according to a one-site or two-site binding model for competitor. A two-site binding model is reported when the fit to the data was statistically better (p<0.05) than a one-site fit.

Administration of Natriuretic Peptides to Rhesus Monkeys. Two chair-trained tranquilized (Diazepam [0.5 mg/kg] given initially supplemented hourly [0.1 mg/kg]) rhesus monkeys were placed in restraint chairs and given ANF84 or Urodilatin by continuous infusion (2.0 ml/kg/hr) through a cephalic vein catheter. The study was designed so the dose of test material would be escalated every 60 minutes until a pharmacological effect was reached using the following rates: 0, 7.5, 25, 75, and 150 ng/kg/min. A second iv catheter was inserted for fluid administration and blood withdrawal. A urinary catheter was inserted and urine flow monitored at 10 minute intervals. Urine output and blood withdrawal volumes were replaced by intravenous administration of equal volumes of equal parts of one-half normal saline and 5% (W/V) dextrose in water (D5W). Blood pressure and heart rate were measured at 5 minute intervals either by external cuff measurement (ANF 84) or by direct measurement from a femoral Vialon® catheter (Urodilatin). Every ten minutes, urine, if present, was collected, the volume recorded and analyzed for sodium and potassium content.

All references described herein are expressly incorporated by reference.

50 1 4 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 1 Thr Ala Pro Arg 1 2 32 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 2 Thr Ala Pro Arg Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Gly Gly Arg Met 1 5 10 15 Asp Arg Ile Gly Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 30 3 32 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 3 Ser Pro Lys Met Val Gln Gly Ser Gly Cys Phe Gly Arg Lys Met Asp 1 5 10 15 Arg Ile Ser Ser Ser Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Lys Val Leu Arg Arg His 20 25 30 4 22 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 4 Gly Leu Ser Lys Gly Cys Phe Gly Leu Lys Leu Asp Arg Ile Gly Ser 1 5 10 15 Met Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys 20 5 32 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 5 Thr Ala Pro Arg Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Gly Gly Arg Ile 1 5 10 15 Asp Arg Ile Arg Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 30 6 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 6 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Gly Gly Arg Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 7 15 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 7 Ser Ser Cys Val Phe Gly Gly Arg Ile Asp Arg Ile Cys Phe Arg 1 5 10 15 8 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 8 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Thr Gly Ser Met Asp Arg Ile Gly 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 9 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 9 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Gly Gly Arg Ile Asp Arg Ile Gly 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 10 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 10 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Gly Gly Arg Ile Asp Ser Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 11 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 11 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 12 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 12 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Arg Gly Asp Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 13 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 13 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Pro Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 14 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 14 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Gly Lys Ser Met Asp Arg Ile Gly 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 15 32 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 15 Thr Ala Pro Arg Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Thr Gly Ser Ile 1 5 10 15 Asp Arg Ile Arg Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 30 16 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 16 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Xaa Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 17 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 17 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Xaa Phe Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 18 29 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 18 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Asn Xaa Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile 1 5 10 15 Arg Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 19 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 19 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 20 22 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 20 Xaa Phe Xaa Gly Asp Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly 1 5 10 15 Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 21 28 PRT Homo sapiens 21 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Gly Gly Arg Met Asp Arg Ile Gly 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 22 32 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 22 Ser Pro Lys Met Val Gln Gly Ser Gly Cys Phe Gly Arg Lys Met Asp 1 5 10 15 Arg Ile Ser Ser Ser Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Lys Val Leu Arg Arg His 20 25 30 23 28 PRT Rattus rattus 23 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Gly Gly Arg Ile Asp Arg Ile Gly 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 24 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 24 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Gly Gly Arg Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Glu Ala Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 25 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 25 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Thr Gly Ser Met Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 26 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 26 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Thr Gly Ser Met Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Pro Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 27 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 27 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Glu Arg Pro Met Asp Arg Ile Gly 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 28 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 28 Ser Leu Asp Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Thr Gly Ser Leu Asp Ser Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 29 29 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 29 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Xaa Phe Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile 1 5 10 15 Arg Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 30 29 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 30 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Xaa Phe Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile 1 5 10 15 Arg Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 31 22 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 31 Xaa Phe Xaa Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly 1 5 10 15 Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 32 22 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 32 Xaa Phe Xaa Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly 1 5 10 15 Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 33 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 33 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Xaa Phe Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 34 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 34 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Xaa Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 35 27 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 35 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Xaa Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg Ala 1 5 10 15 Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 36 27 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 36 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Xaa Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg Ala 1 5 10 15 Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Xaa Arg Tyr 20 25 37 27 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 37 Xaa Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Xaa Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg Ala 1 5 10 15 Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 38 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 38 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Xaa Gly Asp Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 39 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 39 Ser Leu Arg Arg Ser Ser Cys Xaa Thr Gly Ser Ile Asp Arg Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 40 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 40 Ser Leu Asp Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Thr Gly Ser Leu Asp Ser Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Cys Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Cys 20 25 41 28 PRT Artificial Sequence Synthetic 41 Ser Leu Asp Arg Ser Ser Cys Phe Thr Gly Ser Leu Asp Ser Ile Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Xaa Ser Gly Leu Gly Cys Asn Ser Phe Arg Xaa 20 25 42 36 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic 42 tctctgcgta gatctagctg cttcggcggc cgcatg 36 43 35 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic 43 gatcgtatcg gagctcagag cggtctcggg tgcaa 35 44 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic 44 cagcttccgt tacgtaggcg ggcc 24 45 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic 45 cagctagatc tacgcagaga tgca 24 46 35 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic 46 tctgagctcc gatacgatcc atgcggccgc cgaag 35 47 36 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic 47 cgcctacgta acggaagctg ttgcacccga gaccgc 36 48 27 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic 48 aacagcttcc gttactaggg cgggccc 27 49 30 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic 49 gcctatgcat ctctggatag atctagctgc 30 50 50 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic 50 agatctagct gcttcaccgg cagcctggat agtatcagag ctcagagcgg 50 

What is claimed is:
 1. An atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) comprising one or more amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of G9T, G9a, G9R, R11S, R11D, G16R, G16K, G16Orn, G16Har, and G16p-amidinophenyl Ala.
 2. The ANF of claim 1 comprising two or more of the amino acid substitutions.
 3. The ANF of claim 1 wherein one of the substitutions is to amino acid
 9. 4. The ANF of claim 1 wherein one of the substitutions is to amino acid
 11. 5. The ANF of claim 1 wherein one of the substitutions is to amino acid
 16. 6. The ANF of claim 1 wherein each of amino acids 9, 11, and 16 are substituted.
 7. The ANF of claim 1 wherein said ANF has a decreased binding affinity for the human clearance receptor, hNPR-C, compared to wild-type hANF(1-28) and an equal or higher binding affinity for the human A receptor, HNPR-A, compared to wild-type hANF(1-28).
 8. The ANF of claim 7 wherein the binding affinity for hNPR-C is less than 50% of the affinity of wild-type ANF.
 9. The ANF of claim 8 wherein the binding affinity for hNPR-C is less than 10% of the affinity of wild-type ANF.
 10. The ANF of claim 1 having an increased half-life relative to wild-type HANF(1-28) when incubated with neutral endopeptidase 11.24 (NEP).
 11. The ANF of claim 10 wherein an amide bond (—C(═O)—NH—) bonds residues AA₇ and AA₈, wherein the bond is replaced with an amide isostere selected from the group consisting of —CH₂—NH—, —CH₂—S—, —CH₂—S(O)_(n)—, where n is 1 or 2, —CH₂—CH₂—, —CH═CH—(E or Z), —C(═O)—CH₂—, —CH(CN)—NH—, —C(OH)—CH₂—, and —O—C(═O)—NH—.
 12. The ANF of claim 10 wherein amino acid 18 and amino acid 28 are changed to homocystein and are oxidized to form an additional crosslinking site.
 13. The ANF of claim 10 further comprising making one or more of the following changes: adding the tetrapeptide sequence Thr-Ala-Pro-Arg to the amino terminus; adding a (Ser)₄ sequence to the amino terminus; modifying the Cys7-Phe8 amide bond with an amide isostere; N-alkylating Cys7, Phe8, Ala17, Ile15 or Phe26; or inserting a D-amino acid between amino acid 7 and amino acid
 8. 14. An atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) comprising one or more substitutions of amino acid 9 (AA₉), amino acid 11 (AA₁₁), and amino acid 16 (AA₁₆) elected according to the following scheme: AA₉ is selected from the group consisting of Thr, Arg, and Glu; AA₁₁ is selected from the group consisting of Ser, Asp, and Pro; and AA₁₆ is a positively charged amino acid residue other than Gly.
 15. The ANF of claim 14 wherein AA₁₆ is Arg.
 16. The ANF of claim 14 wherein AA₁₆ is Tyr.
 17. The ANF of claim 14 wherein AA₉, AA₁₁, and AA₁₆ are each substituted according to the scheme.
 18. The ANF of claim 14 wherein the ANF has a decreased binding affinity for the human clearance receptor, hNPR-C, compared to wild-type hANF(1-28) and an equal or higher binding affinity for the human A receptor, hNPR-A, compared to wild-type hANF(1-28).
 19. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and the compound of claim
 1. 20. A method for treating a disorder of electrolyte balance in a mammal comprising administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of the composition of claim 19 to the mammal.
 21. A method for inducing naturesis, diuresis, or vasodilation comprising administering to a mammal in need of such treatment a pharmaceutically effective amount of the composition of claim
 19. 22. An atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) comprising one or more substitutions selected from the group consisiting of G9R, G9S, G9H, G9P, G9T, G9E, G9a, R11K, R11N-methyl Arg, R11S, R11D, R11P, G16Y, G16F, G16S, G16P, G16Orn, G16Har, G16K, G16p-amidinophenyl-Ala, G16R, and G16I.
 23. The ANF of claim 22 comprising two or more of the amino acid substitutions.
 24. The ANF of claim 22 wherein one of the substitutions is to amino acid
 9. 25. The ANF of claim 22 wherein one of the substitutions is to amino acid
 11. 26. The ANF of claim 22 wherein one of the substitutions is to amino acid
 16. 27. The ANF of claim 22 wherein each of amino acids 9, 11, and 16 are substituted. 